Through the Looking Glass, To You
by RainLily13
Summary: Prompt fill on tumblr. It's been a year since Fenris ran from Danarius and he hasn't stopped running since. Meanwhile, after an unfortunate tumble into a magical mirror, Kagome finds herself in a strange world with even stranger people and no way back. During her search for information on the mysterious 'Eluvian' she stumbles across an unconscious elf with white hair and tattoos.
1. Part I

_A multi-prompt fill on tumblr that took on a life of its own. I'd apologize, but really, I enjoyed this too much.  
_

__The prompts that I hit were: _1\. Introduction, 6. Break Away,17. Blood, 27. Foreign, 49. Stripes, 84. Out Cold. There were more, but I'll get to those later, lol._

**_Full Summary: _**_It's been a year since Fenris ran from Danarius, and he hasn't stopped running since. Meanwhile, after an unfortunate tumble into a magical mirror, Kagome finds herself in a strange world with even stranger people and no way back. For years she's been travelling throughout Thedas in search of information on the mysterious 'Eluvian.' It's on her way out of the Imperium that she stumbles across an unconscious elf with white hair and tattoos, covered in blood._

_**Setting:** For Fenris, this sticks to canon for the most part, and takes place about a year after he runs from Danarius in Seheron, after he killed the Fog Warriors. For Kagome, less so sticking to canon. Currently twenty-three, after the final battle Kagome was unable to use the well to go home. She was seventeen by the time she was pulled into the DA universe. Inuyasha and Kagome were together for about a year before deciding it would be best to remain friends. Fenris will be a year or so younger than Kagome, making him twenty-two when they meet._

_**Disclaimer:** Obviously, neither Dragon Age nor Inuyasha belong to me.  
_

* * *

—Part I—

When he ran, he never looked back.

_"Hello, Fenris…"_

Every time he shut his eyes, he could see the blood on his gauntlets, still wet, dripping off the tapered tips of his metal-clawed fingers.

_"…Kill them. Every last one of them."_

He could remember the moment it was over.

_"Yes, that's good, my little wolf..."_

The moment as self-consciousness, as control, finally returned.

_"You can never escape me."_

He remembered the horror at what he'd done; the disgust with himself, with how weak he was; how hard it was for him to even _breathe_.

_"…Never…"_

The dawning despair that clawed at him from inside that he'd never escape his fate; that in the end, he'll always be the slave he despised so profoundly.

_"Now, my wolf, return to me."_

He remembered his toes curling in the sands of Seheron, stained with blood, the copper scent so strong it was a surprise he hadn't choked on it. Remembered as he looked down at the carnage he'd wrought upon on his companions, his master's voice beckoning at his ears from up high on the cliff where he stood, watching as a spectator would a sport—and then _ran_.

_"Fenris!"_

When he ran, he never looked back…

_"Fenris! Halt! I command you!"_

Because he knew that if he did, if he had saw Danarius' face, he wouldn't have been able to bring himself to take that first step in the opposite direction.

o.O.o

Ever since that day he'd been running.

He rarely stopped, not even for food. He had no coin in any case, and a lone elf would attract more attention that he would have liked.

Though it was not uncommon in these parts to see an elf on his own, to see one that looked as he did, dressed as he did, carrying a sword almost as large as he—that in itself would sear his presence in one's memories, and with hunters on his tail, being remembered would not work in his favor.

Not that he would trust sleeping in an inn anyway. It was still too soon.

And so, Fenris kept to the roads and hunted when he was hungry, stole when he had no other choice, sleeping up high in trees when he needed to—it wasn't good so much for sleeping as it was best for spoiling ambushes.

As always was the case, Danarius sent men to capture him. He was too valuable, or rather, the stripes of lyrium on his skin were too valuable, to allow him to just run away and leave him be. Danarius rarely left the comfort of his mansion in Minrathous—never was one for the dirty work, not unless it was absolutely required.

The Fog Warriors had required it.

It was a mixed blessing, Fenris couldn't help but think as he fought his assailants. He wasn't strong enough, not yet, perhaps not ever, to fight Danarius on his own—doubted he had enough control over himself to engage in such a thing.

With a harsh gasp, he yanked his blade out from the last remaining hunter's chest. He stumbled, catching himself only by stabbing the ground and using his greatsword as a leaning stick.

Fenris staggered as he waded through the dead, stopping only to search the bodies of valuables and gold and hopefully potions—preferably healing, but a stamina draught or two wouldn't be amiss. If anything, it would help him continue putting as much distance between him and Danarius, and Tevinter at that.

He could never stop running.

o.O.o

This world was, in a word, strange.

Her movements mechanic, Kagome kicked dirt at her fire, double-checking it was snuffed out before she slipped on her pack, followed by her bow and quiver of arrows.

Taking a surveying look at her small camping area, she turned on her heel and started out for the day.

It had been years, just over half a decade since she first stepped foot in this medieval world of mages and templars, elves and dwarves, kings and wardens, darkspawn and apparently even _dragons_. Though, stepped foot would be incorrect—falling through a strange mirror would be the proper descriptor.

The dragons and darkspawn were worrying, of course, but they weren't _so_ bad. The mages and Templars, and the elves and dwarves, however, took a moment to get used to seeing day by day.

With a tired sigh, Kagome lifted her hood over her head to block the bright, hot sun from above.

It wasn't long until she came across blood and dead bodies on the road. _Bandits, _she thought with distaste, stepping over the decaying corpses, her nose crinkling at the smell. During her past travels, the roads were often than not full of them.

Her footsteps, however, faltered when she came upon a mage—dead, obviously—but wearing Tevinter-styled robes and sporting a staff that looked rather expensive. _Too _expensive for any run of the mill bandit.

_Slavers? _She thought in confusion, but not so much surprised. Not anymore, at least—it was one of many reasons she was so happy to finally be leaving the country. The only thing surprising was that it was rather large group and that they were all _dead_.

It was only by chance that a couple of hours later, when she drifted off the trail to find a source of water and to rest for lunch, that she came upon an elf passed out and covered in blood, dark, tattooed skin littered with wounds and burns.

o.O.o

Fenris woke slowly.

Fenris woke slowly to the smell of rabbit cooking and his body feeling moderately rested and mostly pain free. Something wet and cold and relieving was pressed against his forehead.

The sense of _wrongness _was almost sickening.

The elf surged up, roughspun, warm blankets pooling at his hips, fingers grasping for a blade that wasn't there and his tattoos flaring upon the realization that he was weaponless.

His eyes blazed a dark green as he searched and settled on the kneeling figure at his side, hands outstretched and hovering, frozen in midair.

A woman, Fenris realized, still tensed and glowing. At her side were open jars of salves, a bowl of water, and folded strips of cloth.

_"Who are you?" _Fenris demanded. "_What do you want?"_

The woman's eyes—a dark, blue-grey—widened further than they already were. "I'm sorry," the woman apologized softly, eyebrows drawn together, a pensive look upon her face. "I cannot understand you. I don't speak… Tevene, is it?"

Fenris' eyes narrowed further. The language he recognized, but the accent she spoke in was foreign to him, unlike any he'd heard. "Who are you?" he repeated in Common, voice harsh. "What is it that you want with me?"

Now the woman's dark eyebrows shot up. "Nothing," she quickly answered, drawing her hands away.

Out of reflex, Fenris caught them, holding her thin wrists together in a more than firm grip, tightening when she tried pulling out if it. "Then why am I here?" He cast a glance to take a look at what _here _was—a small camp sheltered under a cliff overhang, just twenty feet from a river.

The woman's furtive tugging paused, and she looked upon him with an incredulous look. "I thought you needed help?" she said slowly. "You were passed out, I saw blood. You were pale, even."

Fenris snorted. "You would help a stranger? An elf, even?" he scoffed, disbelieving. "I have no money to offer."

Her eyes both flared and narrowed. "A good thing I asked for none," she replied, tone sharp, "And that I have no need." She quickly twisted her hands, disarming herself from the elf's tight grip. Fenris' eyes widened.

The woman quickly climbed to her feet, taking a few steps back to put distance between them—not out of fear, but out of caution. "Now," she said primly, straightening her tunic. "You've been out for nearly a day. I was just checking on your healing—you're doing fine. I've got food on the fire, which you're welcomed to have some. And, your things are just over there—I've done the courtesy of cleaning the blood off them."

Fenris just shook his head, fists clenching in his lap. "But _why_?" he gritted out in a low growl.

Her gaze settled upon him, heavy and searching, and it was all Fenris could do to not fidget under it. He watched as she sighed, her shoulders drooping, before she reached up to rub at her temples. "Because," she shrugged and simply told him, "You looked like you needed it."

o.O.o

For three days Fenris recovered under Kagome's watchful eye and tender care.

For the whole of it, Gods help her, the elf wouldn't stop _staring_. _Watching her_. Most the time, he _glared _nonstop.

It was positively unnerving, but it didn't stop Kagome from trying to diffuse the tension by chatting away. If nothing else, it helped _her_ ignore the tension.

"So, after tonight you should be alright to be back on your feet. Your injuries are healing up quite nicely," she rambled, the smell of fish filling the air. "Where are you headed, anyways? If you don't mind me asking, I mean. Perhaps we can travel together?"

Fenris cut a look over at her and scoffed, an obvious sign of dismissal. "You are better off on your own," he stated with a brisk shake of his head. "I have hunters on my heels. They are not the kind to hesitate to run you through to get to me."

Kagome shrugged and reached over to turn the fish over in the fire. Fenris' nose crinkled. "I can take care of myself."

Fenris stared, disbelieving, and Kagome sighed. Standing, she padded over to her back, reaching in to pull out a small sack. Weighing it in her hand for a moment, she tossed it to the elf without even a glance.

Fenris caught it easily, knew without even needing to check that it was money. Heavy, too. Tugging it open he saw a glint of gold. Looking back up, he narrowed his eyes at the woman. "What is this?"

"Payment," she replied, still rummaging through her bag. "If you want it, to travel with me. Or, if not, then a gift to help you on your travels. Take your pick. I won't force you to stay."

With a snort, Fenris just shook his head. "And that is all?" he asked, suspicious.

Kagome just shrugged as closed the flap to her pack, straightening things. "Company would be nice," she said offhand and Fenris stiffened just as she froze.

Whirling around, Kagome's face was flushing and she waved her hands wildly. "_Not _like that," she added hastily, wincing at his glowering look. "I would—I _wouldn't_," she swore vehemently. "I just meant—it's lonely out here, and, _shit_," she stopped, groaning into her hands. "It would be nice to have someone else to talk to, other than myself."

Snorting softly, Fenris found his lips twitching. "Calm yourself, I understand what you mean," he murmured, shaking his head. "The presence of another person would also ward off some opportunistic bandits you might come across. Where are you travelling to?"

"Southeast, to Estwatch," Kagome answered, coming to sit by the fire once more, dropping her bag by her feet before removing the fish. When she offered it to Fenris, he made a face and shook his head, to which Kagome frowned at. "It's a small island off the coast of the Free Marches. You should really eat—you're still healing."

Fenris grimaced and looked away. It was hard to see, but Kagome thought the tips of his ears, which she could see peeking through the long, white strands of his hair, were turning red. "I… dislike fish," he muttered quickly. "I will be fine."

Kagome rolled her eyes and reached for her pack once more, tossing him yet another item. When Fenris caught it, he was surprised to find a shiny, if not a bit beat up, apple. "You should have said something when I mentioned we were having fish tonight."

"…Thank you," Fenris said quietly, and he bit into the fruit, eyes shuttering against the burst of juicy flavor that hit his tongue. "As for where I'm headed—that would be as far as I can get from the Imperium. If you wish to travel with me despite the hunters, then I will not say no." With a soft sigh, he tossed the sack of coin back to Kagome. "Nor will I take payment. I owe you a debt for healing me, after all."

o.O.o

Usually, Kagome would run into bandits at least three times a week. If she managed to see them in time, she usually skirted around them, not wanting to fight.

Fenris, however, had no qualms about meeting with bandits head on. His appearance alone was generally enough to deter most from raising a blade.

It had been nearly two weeks into their travels together when they met with their second band of bandits willing to take a chance on them.

If anything, Fenris thought with a harsh scowl as he cut down one bandit with relative ease, it likely had something to do with having an apostate with them.

It wasn't a rarity, of course, but what was worthy of note was him finding that his new travelling companion was not lying about her ability to take care of herself. She was as swift with firing an arrow as she was deadly.

Whatever skill she possessed with the bow was not nearly as shocking as what else he discovered about her when the apostate mage conjured stone with the intention of hurling it at him, only for the spell to be blocked by a brilliant pink barrier.

_Of course_, Fenris thought with a snarl as he let his tattoos flare white-blue, sending a glowing fist into the mage's chest and ripping out his still-beating heart. _I must be cursed to have mages follow me at every step. _

The apostate mage was still breathing his last breath when he whirled on Kagome, ignoring her open-mouthed gape as he stalked to her.

"Fenris?" she whispered, taking a step back as he approached, confusion taking over her previous shock. "Fenris, what—"

She never got the chance to finish as he wrapped a hand, still wet with warm blood, around her slim, delicate neck and lifted her. Kagome dropped her bow, hands a pale, shocking contrast against the dark metal of his blood-spattered gauntlets as she gripped them furtively. "A _mage_," Fenris growled furiously, dragging her forward, ignoring how Kagome choked and helplessly dragged in what little air he allowed her to. "I should have _known_."

"Fen—" she coughed out, her face quickly becoming red and spotty. "Don't—" Her fingers were now scrabbling at his wrists.

Fenris relaxed his grip only slightly. "Go on," he taunted viciously. "What lies will you spin for me now, mage? When I have you defenseless and your life in my hands?"

"Not—" she wheezed, dragging in short, shallow breaths. "Not mage—priestess."

He scoffed, incredulous. "I saw it with my own eyes—you conjured a barrier. No priestess could do that."

"I—I can't—" Kagome shook her head, eyes blinking fast. "Fen—_please."_ Blue-grey eyes, rimmed with red and tears, pleaded with him.

His jaw clenched but his grip on her throat eased, allowing her to breathe normally. He didn't release her, not yet, and allowed the sharp tips of his fingers to press lightly into the skin of her neck. He waited as some of the red left her face as she caught her breath. "Now explain."

"I'm not a mage," she stated hoarsely, now glaring at him. "My... abilities work only against mages and creatures. They cannot affect you or any other non-magic entities—human, elf, or dwarf."

Fenris froze, his stomach twisting, the beginnings of shame tugging at his heels as he recalled the battle. The lyrium in his tattoos usually reacted when spells were cast near him—he remembered feeling the flare of a spell being cast when the apostate conjured spell, but now that he thought about it, the barrier itself barely caused in a tingle.

_A Templar? _he couldn't help but wonder, but even a Templar's abilities registered a stronger, though distinguishable reaction than hers.

Kagome's eyes narrowed, her nostrils flaring. "I don't know what your deal is with mages that you'd be so quick to kill a person just for being one, and right now I don't really care, but let's get another thing straight." Fenris stiffened as he felt the sharp tip of a blade—a dagger, a quick flicker of his eyes told him—be pressed firmly against the vulnerable flesh of his jugular. "I am not defenseless."

The only sound that filled the air was that of their heavy breathing.

The weight of his forest green gaze weighed heavily on her, before his lips twitched and he gave an amused scoff. Slowly, he released her throat completely and lowered his arm, watching her as they broke away.

In turn, Kagome withdrew her dagger, and when Fenris stepped away she sheathed it in her leathers.

They stared at each other in tense silence, before Fenris had to look away, casting his gaze to the ground in shame. "I… you have my apologies," he said, fists clenching at his side.

He could hear Kagome shifting, but he didn't dare look up. "I'd much rather have an explanation, but thanks."

Fenris exhaled through his teeth. "I told you about the hunters. They're after me because I was a slave. I ran from my master—a mage, and a cruel one at that." Finally, he looked up to find that Kagome's glare had softened to an expression of understanding. "You could say he tainted my view of mages as a whole."

Kagome rubbed a hand over her neck. "I'd say that's an understatement," she commented lightly.

Fenris grimaced. "You must understand—in Minrathous, mages are allowed much more freedom than the rest of Thedas. Though I am aware not all practice such despicable magic, most of the Magisters practice _blood magic_," he all but spat out.

Kagome said nothing to that. Instead, she watched him carefully—as if he were an animal, ready to attack once again.

Fenris felt his chest give a twinge at that and he gave a bitter shake of his head. "Your… abilities were an unexpected discovery and I was… disturbed, to say the least. It reminded me of…" He gave a bitter shake of his head. "I wasn't thinking clearly. In any case, that does not excuse my actions, even if you were a mage. After the kindness you've shown me in the past two weeks, I at least owed you the benefit of the doubt."

Kagome scoffed. "Damn straight you did," she muttered, swooping down to pick up her bow, hitching it on her back before she went about rummaging through the bandits pockets for anything useful, or valuable. "I almost thought you were going to rip _my_ heart out as well."

Fenris swallowed and nodded curtly. "Perhaps it would be best if we… parted ways, then," he slowly forced out.

Kagome glanced up to see that he had looked away and was glaring at the air. At his sides, his fists were clenching. She gave a soft sigh. "If that's what you want, then you're free to leave, Fenris. You're welcome to keep traveling with me, though. It was just a misunderstanding, I guess, albeit a violent one."

Fenris' head had snapped over as he stared at her in disbelief. "I could just as easily do it again," he slowly stated, having a more difficult time in admitting the rest. "I do not have… the best of control, as you have already witnessed yourself."

"Well," Kagome shrugged, "If there ever is a next time, I won't be caught by surprise." And with that, she set off south.

After a moment of staring, Fenris quickly followed, falling into step beside her. "…You're well trained for a holy woman," he couldn't help but comment after a lengthy stretch of silence.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Kagome's lips curl despite herself. "I _do _fight demons," she replied, glancing over with a cocked eyebrow. "And the occasional highwayman, of course."

Fenris just shook his head, huffing under his breath in amusement. "Of course."

o.O.o

_Well. Suffice to say, I really, really enjoyed writing this! So I hope all of you liked it! Unlike some of the other prompts, I **will **be continuing this. Sorry, but a certain someone found one my weakness for Dragon Age (and Fenris, in particular) - **I** didn't even expect to write so much for this, lol, it kinda just happened, the ideas kept on flowing, and it was too tempting **not** to make this a full on fic. I'd wager it'll end somewhere between 10-15,000 words, but we'll see what happens, yeah?_

_*Sighs happily* I'm really going to have such fun writing this, haha. _

_Like always, feel free to hit me up at tumblr with some prompts! Link's on my profile!_

_RainLily^^_


	2. Part II

_Aah, I didn't mean for this next part to take so long to be posted! Sorry for the wait! _

_For this one, the prompts I knocked out were: 13. Misfortune, 17. Blood, 41. Teamwork, &amp; 56\. Danger Ahead. Hope you all enjoy! ^^_

_**Disclaimer:**__ Obviously, neither Dragon Age nor Inuyasha belong to me._

* * *

—Part II—

Continuing their way slowly down south, the pair passed through various towns and villages, trading the goods they'd picked up on their way for supplies and coin. Their stops never lasted long, however; while Kagome would often stay a night or two in an inn to rest before returning to the road, it was still far too close to the Imperium for Fenris' comfort to do the same.

But the longer they traveled and the more distance they put between themselves and the slavery-ridden country, the longer it took for hunters to track them—with each team sent after Fenris decimated, the time it took for the next team to track them down extended.

The declining frequency of ambushes and attacks served to soothe Fenris' nerves and raging paranoia. It also helped that dealing with the slavers were that much easier with Kagome fighting beside him—someone not only skilled enough to take on the slavers with efficiency, but also someone he was beginning to trust at his back, slowly though it may be.

It was only a matter of time, he knew, before Danarius would become impatient and take up the pursuit himself. But that, Fenris hoped, would not come soon—not before he became stronger; before he gained enough confidence to raise his sword at the magister without wavering. He doubted his old master would bother leaving the capital and his cushy mansion while they continued to travel from place to place.

No, Danarius would wait until he had settled somewhere to avoid the effort of a chase and continue to send hunters in his place until then.

o.O.o

"For what reasons did you come to the Imperium?" Fenris inquired of her one night as they made camp, rolling out his sleeping mat by the fire Kagome made. "If you don't mind me asking, that is?"

She didn't answer at first, the fire's crackling filling the silence as she took the time she spent setting up her own sleeping gear to weigh not answering him against telling him the truth.

Fenris took a seat and settled down, content to watch her and wait.

It had nearly been half a year since they'd first met, time not of the essence when she said she was headed to Estwatch—which was fortunate since they often needed to deviate from their intended path to throw off any hunters on their tails.

It wasn't the first time Kagome warred with telling Fenris over that stretch of time; nor was he the first person she'd ever consider telling. But she had always thought better of it—unsure who she could trust in this world, if she even should.

But it had been years, nearly _seven _since she first came to this world of… of magic and darkspawn, and Fenris was the longest companion she had kept yet.

As Kagome laid down her sleeping mat, she sat down on it and turned to Fenris, sighing. "It'll… it's kind of a long story," she warned, linking her fingers over her lap.

Fenris merely shrugged and tugged off his gauntlets, moving on to begin unstrapping his breastplate before he too sat down.

Kagome sighed again. "Well, since there's really no better way to put this—I'm not originally from Estwatch, or anywhere in Thedas, really. I just… woke up in Estwatch one day, in what I later found out to be an Ancient Elven ruin. I traveled to Tevinter—to Minrathous, to research a way to return home."

When Kagome looked up at Fenris, she found him studying her with an intense expression and she was relieved not to find any skepticism directed at her. "Then where is 'home,' exactly?"

She let out a nervous laugh, wiping a hand over her face. "Not anywhere in this world, I can tell you. For what it's worth, it's called Japan."

And so she began to tell him of the world she came from, a world that held only humans and demons, witches and creatures, and how one day years ago, she was fighting with her friends against a demon only to end up shoved against a mirror that instead of breaking, allowed her—along with one of her friends—to pass through it instead.

o.O.o

"When I woke," Kagome went on as she came to the end of her tale, "We were alone. My friend—Shippo—he was still alive, but unconscious. We were in a cave and the only thing in there with us was a mirror identical to the one we fell into, except this one was solid. Silent. It didn't take long to figure out we were stuck here for the time being."

Fenris, who had taken to leaning forward as he listened, his bare forearms braced against his legs, remained silent at first as he processed what she told him. Kagome spent the awkward silence looking anywhere but at him-be it the trees, the fire, the moon in the sky. The sound of Fenris moving had Kagome looking over in anticipation.

He was gazing at her now, over the fire between them, his moss green eyes now bright and orange from the flickering flames. "This friend of yours, Shippo—where is he now?"

Kagome glanced away, fingers playing absently with a loose thread in her blanket. "We, ah, decided to go our separate ways when I decided to set out to the Imperium. I didn't want to bring him to such a hotbed of slavery, especially when…" she trailed off, pursing her lips.

"When?" Fenris repeated, eyes narrowing.

Her gaze flickered towards him with uncertainty. "Before I say why, you need to understand. Your world and my world describe certain things differently—call different things by the same name. Like how you thought I was a mage, right?"

Fenris nodded his head curtly, trying to figure out where she was going with this.

"And like how in this world, demons are the spiritual embodiments of sin that come from what's called the Fade. My world has demons as well, but they aren't restricted to another realm, nor are they inherently evil—instead, they are spiritual embodiments of animals bound in physical forms."

Fenris held up his hand to halt her, an undecipherable expression etched on his dark face. "Your friend—he is a demon," he concluded, every word spoken slow and flat.

"…Yes?" Kagome replied weakly, grimacing. "More specifically, he's a fox spirit in a humanoid form." She tried for a reassuring smile. "No possession involved and he's actually a very sweet kid, trust me!" she rushed to explain. "Maybe a bit of a troublemaker—but that's in his nature! He was just a child when we met, he had just lost his father, and I've been with him ever since. He's kind of like a son to me."

Fenris stared at her blankly for a moment once more, before his dark green eyes drifted skyward and he let out a faint noise that could only be described as exasperated. "You consider a _demon _like a son to you," he repeated wearily. Passing a hand across his face, he pinched the bridged of his nose. Under his breath, he muttered, _"The company I find myself keeping…"_

Kagome gave a nervous laugh and shrugged. "You're taking this better than I expected you to…" she couldn't help but remark, smiling in relief. No one needed a repeat of the choking incident, her especially.

Fenris grimaced a bit. "I'm not entirely sure I believe you," he admitted, if not a touch sheepishly. Immediately, the smile on Kagome's face fell. "But," he continued quickly, giving an awkward cough, "You have not lied to me so far, and I have seen many things, being surrounded by magisters as I was." Here his words took a dark tone.

"It is not completely out of the realm of possibility. Your abilities make more sense as well, so it lends truth to your story. So yes, I will take you on your word," Fenris decided with a firm nod, and Kagome shot him a grateful look. "Did you find anything that will help your return?"

Kagome's gaze drifted away to the flickering fire between them, taking a stick to shift the kindling when she found it to be low. "Yes, actually, but nothing concrete," she murmured over the crackling. "The mirror itself is called an Eluvian—it was used for travel and communication long ago between the elves of old. I… still don't understand _how _one could exist in my world, never mind be linked between the two, but I'll need to discuss this further with Shippo. If I'm lucky, maybe he found something as well…"

o.O.o

After telling Fenris the truth to her past, Kagome found herself opening up more and more each day—perhaps more than was reasonable, but it had been years since she had someone she could really trust in this world other than Shippo.

Fenris, as it seemed, was a fantastic listener—though, from the look on his face he'd sometimes get as she relayed to him some of her most memorable adventures and told of the companions she traveled with, she was unsure if he believed her or was merely entertaining her.

But then he in turn began to open as well—slowly though, so slowly one could even go as far as to say snail-pace slow but considering his past, part of which would likely forever remain a mystery to even him, it wasn't like he could be blamed for being more hesitant than her.

The pair grew closer, became more comfortable with each other as months passed while they traveled south and fought side by side. Hunters still came, though they were taken care of with ease, and bandits still crossed their paths, also taken care with ease, but their time spent on the roads together was something they began to enjoy.

Well, mostly.

o.O.o

"_Venehedis,_" Fernis cursed, shoving the hunter off his greatsword with a swift kick and turning to the next. "It is as if there is no end to these hunters."

A laugh echoed to his right, distant but nonetheless bright. "It makes one wonder where they all come from! Perhaps they wait in bulk at some warehouse until they finally get an assignment?"

Fenris scoffed, spinning on his bare-footed heel and decapitating another hunter with one deft swing. "I believe you are enjoying this a touch too much." The whistle of an arrow swept right past his ear and he turned just in time to see another hunter fall to the ground, the shaft of an arrow buried deep into her throat.

He heard another twang of Kagome's bow and another body dropped. "Maybe you're just rubbing off on me!"

Fenris grinned, an almost feral look in the light of his tattoos glow as he phased over to another group of hunters, coming to them and killing one instantly via a sword through his abdomen. "Was that a complaint?" he called out as he kicked out at the second hunter and then threw a glowing fist into the chest of the third, crushing his heart instantaneously.

Kagome's laugh echoed in the clearing and over the sounds of battle once more. "Certainly not!"

o.O.o

Hunters and bandits weren't the only adversaries they came across on the road. There were animals as well, such as bears and wolves, they even stumbled into a nestling of drakes.

But even drakes didn't compare to…_this._

By the time they were done fighting and Kagome could lower her bow, she was _dripping_. She shuddered, resolutely trying not to think about it.

Not even ten feet away, Fenris glanced over at her and stared. "You look-" he released a startled laugh. It was a husky sound, a pleasing one, even, but unfortunately Kagome was unable to properly enjoy it as it was at _her_ expense. "You look ridiculous."

Kagome spit at the ground, swiping fingers through the gunk on her face. "Yeah, laugh it up," she muttered weakly, glaring at the dead arachnids littered about the ground. "Fucking spiders. _Eugh_."

o.O.o

Keeping to the side, Kagome watched the villagers bustle about in the square. Stands were being set up, decorations were being hung, and food and drink were being brought out.

Feeling the presence hovering by her shoulder, Kagome turned to peer at her companion. "It looks like there's going to be a celebration."

Fenris glanced over at her momentarily, scanning over her face before turning back to the commotion before them. "A harvest festival, if I heard correctly," he replied in a low baritone. "Would you like to stay?"

Kagome eyes widened in surprise and she glanced back at the preparations. "Could we?"

She heard the telltale metal shifting that indicated he was shrugging. "I don't see why not."

A bit excited, Kagome turned back to Fenris with a grin, a little bounce to her movements. Fenris' eyes widened a bit. "I've never actually been to one here," she confessed, "With all the researching it just… never came up."

Fenris' eyes softened. "Neither have I," he admitted. "Minrathous held grand celebrations—loud, with a lot of drinking and fanfare, but slaves were never allowed to participate any further than what were their duties." Anyone could pick up the bitterness in his tone,

Kagome reached out touch his shoulder—that Fenris didn't stiffen or even jerk out from under her touch spoke volumes on its own—and her head tipped to the side as she smiled brightly at him. "Then this will be an experience for both of us, huh?"

The elf's lips twitched and he nodded. "One that I look forward to," he murmured softly.

o.O.o

"You're hurt," Fenris breathed out in shock, eyes wide, after yet another encounter with hunters.

"Yes," Kagome griped as she pressed a hand against her thigh, blood spurting from between her fingers as she dug through her pack. "Unfortunately that happens when one gets caught by a rather pointy blade."

Fenris exhaled harshly and stalked over. "Foolish woman," he hissed, breathing out harshly. Taking her hand he removed it so that he could inspect the wound himself. He plucked the strip of cloth she slipped out from her bag, pressing against the sluggish bleeding before he dug into her pack for the healing poultrices. "Why did you not say anything sooner?"

Kagome, who had taken to leaning back against her elbows while he commandeered taking care of her injuries, rolled her eyes. "You were a bit busy fighting off a few hunters of your own." When he just snarled under his breath, muttering curses, she laid a hand on a striped wrist. "Fenris, it isn't so bad. I can take care of myself."

Fenris huffed. "Then you should do a better job of it, then."

Kagome's lips pursed in amusement, before a smile broke out on her face and she nudged her shoulder against his. "I'll try, just for you," she said with a playful wink.

Fenris blinked and maybe it was just her imagination, but when he ducked his head and muttered under his breath for her to, "Stay still, _venehedis_, I can't wrap this if you keep moving," she could have _sworn_ the tips of his ears, peeking through his messy, snowy hair, were _red_.

o.O.o

"Even the stars are different."

Her soft voice penetrated through the thickening haze of his mind, drawing him back to conscious before he fell completely asleep. It took a moment for her words to register, but then Fenris rolled over to face her, honest curiosity on his face as he glanced up to the sky.

Stars littered the sky in undiscernible patterns to his own eyes. "You can tell?"

Kagome nodded absently with an affirmative hum. "In my original time, you couldn't really see the stars, not in the city at least. Too much light hitting the sky blocked them from sight."

Fenris' eyebrows furrowed, trying to imagine such a thing.

"But in the past, before electricity and artificial light were ever invented, the skies were like this." She gestured to the air above her. "_Filled_ with stars—my first night sleeping outside, I stayed up so long just taking it in. Inuyasha eventually yelled at me that I better not stay up too long, or else he'd drag my "pathetic ass out of bed and down the road in the morning to get moving" if he had to."

Fenris snorted. "He sounds like a pleasant person to travel with," he remarked dryly.

Kagome grinned, turning to look at him. "I told him if he ever tried something like that, I'd "sit" his ass six feet under," she admitted, and the elf's lips twitched at the image it conjured. "He got better, of course. Like I've said before, we _really_ didn't get along at first."

Fenris chuckled softly. "An understatement, it seems like."

Laughing under her breath, Kagome turned back to the sky. After a moment she sighed, a wistful note to the sound. "I've spent a bunch of nights sleeping like this. I'd never thought I'd look up and see a sky I wouldn't recognize."

Fenris frowned and turned to the sky as well, remaining silent. He didn't know what to say to that but he found himself disliking the sadness in her voice. Idly, he wished he knew how to make it go away, and settled with offering comfort through his next words. "You will see it soon, Kagome, I am sure of it."

Kagome gave a thoughtful hum and Fenris watched as she closed her eyes and smiled faintly. "Maybe..."

o.O.o

"Kagome, wake up."

Kagome rolled over, blinking up blurrily. She could barely see anything, it was so dark, but there was enough light coming from outside for her to see the strands of white hair hovering above her—Fenris. "Hmm?"

His eyes, nearly black in the darkness, bored into her apologetically. "The hunters have found us."

Kagome jolted awake and rolled off the cot, stumbling to her feet. Gauntlet-clad hands caught her arms, steadying her, and Kagome gave one of them a thankful pat before they pulled away. "How much time do we have?" she said quickly as Fenris moved to the window.

"Enough for us to pack, at least," he murmured in reply. "I saw them in town. They have yet to reach this inn."

o.O.o

And so it went.

Kagome and Fenris traveled from town to town, steadfast in their determination to put as much distance between them and Minrathous as possible.

When they did come upon a town, however, each visit gradually became longer and longer. Upon reaching Antiva they stared there the longest, in a town where elves carrying weapons, even tattooed as Fenris was, were nothing to blink at. They stayed for nearly two weeks before Fenris urged them to move on, unable to ignore the itch to keep moving any longer.

With each passing town, however, he became more relaxed, his attempts to disguise himself becoming more lax.

It was a mistake he'd never stop regretting for years to come.

o.O.o

Fenris woke up to smoke.

Fenris woke up to smoke, his ribs aching in agony, dead slavers surrounding him and burnt to unidentifiable crisps, and Kagome nowhere to be found.

He scrambled to his feet and immediately buckled over, nearly dropping to his knees. Clutching at his stomach Fenris wheezed at the fresh wave of white hot pain that washed over him, rendering him immobile. He forced himself to push through it, though, staggering forward with only one thing, one name, on his mind.

_Kagome_.

Straightening as much as he could, Fenris sucked in a sharp gasp. "Kagome?!" he shouted in a pained groan. He looked around him, finding nothing but dead bodies burnt beyond recognition at his feet from yards on out.

"Kagome!" he shouted again, stumbling forward and cursing in Tevene under his breath when he almost tripped over a corpse. _"Kagome!"_

Nothing. There was no answer. For all he knew, she was one of these bodies on the ground after the explosion—from what, he didn't know, but it was no ordinary fire bomb or spell. He didn't even know how he _survived_.

Fenris groaned, his hazy gaze flickering over the area, hoping to see _something_, her bag, her bow, _anything._

"Kagome! Answer me!" he shouted once more. _Please_, his mind begged as he stumbled through the wreckage, sifting through the bodies one by one, checking as closely as he could for one that could possibly be…

It took him—he didn't even know _how long_—but if it wasn't for the flames glinting off its surface, it never would have caught his eye.

Just mere feet away from a burnt corpse laid the small jewel Kagome always carried, the leather cord she had once strung it on now charred to frayed bits.

_No_.

Fenris staggered in horror, dropping to his knees, ignoring the sharp lance of pain that shot through his ribs as he reached over to scoop up the jewel. He could remember it like it was almost yesterday when she tugged it out from under her tunic and showed it to him one night, a rueful expression on her face.

_"Back in my world, this thing was the apple of practically every demons' eye. Incredibly powerful; could grant any wish." She had snorted then, a bitter sound, one he'd never heard from her before. "Now? Nothing. Can't sense a thing from it—nothing more than a simple glass marble."_

_"Would you have used it?" he had asked, curious and unable to help himself.__"Wish yourself and your friend back to your world?"__A object that could grant any wish... The __possibilities__ were endless to him: to be free, to have his memories, to have never been placed into slavery in the first place... _

_Fenris had almost scoffed; it sounded too good to be true, too close to a demon's work for comfort._

_But she'd shaken her head, a wry sort of façade of a smile playing on her lips. "No. There's always a catch with these things—wouldn't be worth the consequence, whatever it would be, and there's always a consequence. It just figures that after all the trouble we'd gone to putting it back together and protecting it, it ends up a useless husk of what it once was."_

_He'd never forget the smile she turned toward him, though, as she looked over, or the way his heart tripped at the sight._

_"I've only just realized it recently, but I quite like it here," she had mused lightly. "Staying here wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen." And then, her smile had widened as she tucked the jewel back under her collar. "And besides, I'd never have met you if I did."_

Swallowing harshly, Fenris tore his eyes from the jewel laying innocently in his palm and looked up at the body before him, dread filling every fiber of his being as he realized—_it could almost fit her size._

Bile threatened to rise up his throat. _No._

Fenris shook his head and groaned as his world spun, burying his face in his hands.

_Kagome…_

o.O.o

For hours Fenris stayed, nurturing a small, stubborn flicker of hope that—_perhaps it wasn't her, perhaps…_ But nothing stirred in the clearing they were ambushed in, not even the wildlife, the scent of fire and death deterring any from venturing nearby.

Eventually the elf dragged himself to his feet, the tiny glass ball still clenched in his hand. He stared at it once more, his jaw clenched and his lips pressed thin. His eyes fluttered shut as he exhaled a shuddering breath, and then he sharply reached to his side, tucking the sphere into the pouch at his side for safekeeping, and also, as a reminder of Kagome.

A reminder of the woman, of the one person in this world—a world she did not even _belong _to in the first place—that he had come to trust and care for. A reminder of the transgression he committed towards her for leading to her death by enemies not her own.

Dark thoughts weighed his steps as he finally trudged away from the wreckage, his heart heavy with regret and grief. One thought in particular now haunted him; one he had once discarded as, perhaps, not entirely written in stone—an action that had now cost him so dearly...

He was foolish to hope, to even for a moment believe that such a possibility was within his grasp while Danarius still lived.

_I can never stop running._

o.O.o

_Whoops, sorry Fenris, haha. Hope you guys enjoyed reading this! Though the ending was not exactly a happy one... But the story isn't finished, sooo... ;)_

_Anyways, a huge thanks for all the follows and favs! And thank you for the awesome reviews—totally was not expecting that kind of reception for a DA2/Inu crossover. In particular, thank you to **Maxeyn, Junior-Enstein, cherry-888, alice, Sillvog, Sinfath, Vengeful Jeans, StrawberryCakeJuice, Rc1212, Vampire Miko 159, Silverstarre, Marie **for reviewing!  
_

_Till next time, guys! And l__ike always, feel free to hit me up at tumblr with some prompts! Link's on my profile!_

_RainLily^^_


	3. Part III

_Aaah, this was such a pain. I've had this completed for quite a bit but I kept from posting it since I couldn't shake this feeling of dissatisfaction I got from it. Mostly just ended up editing small bits of if before finally deciding it's fine lol. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy this next part._

_**Disclaimer:** Obviously, neither Dragon Age or Inuyasha belong to me._

* * *

Part III

* * *

_"__What is it that you miss most from home?"_

_"…"_

_"__I… I am sorry, that was insensitive of me—you do not—"_

_"__It was, just a little, but mostly I was thinking… I was thinking what home was, exactly…"_

o.O.o

When Kagome awoke to darkness with a wild gasp and a frenzied look to her eyes, the first thing she thought was: _Fenris...!?_

She surged upright, crying out when sudden, agonizing pain rocked her to her bones. Her hands darted to her waist, fingers brushing against charred leather and hyper-sensitive skin before flinching away as she hissed. "Gods, that hurts," she gritted out, breathing shallowly as she waited for the pain to pass.

Cradling her side, Kagome glanced about and blinked. Then she blinked again just to double-check her eyes were opened.

It was _dark_. She couldn't see a thing, wherever she was.

Blindly, Kagome reached out. "Fenris?" she called out, confused. Hard dirt met her fingers and she spread them outwards, wincing when the knuckles of her right hand knocked against uneven rock. She pulled back with a confused murmur and reached out again with her palms. She was met with a wall.

A wall?

Grunting as she shifted, she focused her abilities into her hands to give her light. A pink glow dimly lit up the area.

Wherever she was, it was narrow and deep, the rocks rough and jagged. She moved her hands up, pushing through the ensuing pain with a breathless grunt, and saw what looked to be an opening just over ten feet above her head covered with… She squinted, and thought she saw leaves.

"How'd I end up here?" she muttered to herself, scratching her cheek with a still-glowing finger. "Fenris? You here?" she called out again, but no answer came. "Damn it..." Exhaling roughly, Kagome dragged herself to the wall, leaning against it for a moment to rest.

The last thing she remembered was... the hunters. They were fighting and then... An explosion?

A magical explosion, she remembered suddenly, eyes popping open. She'd seen it at the last minute, or rather felt the building pressure that was the tell-tale sign of a potent spell being powered up and the trembling, chaotic air with it that signaled whoever was casting it was losing control over it fast; too late to warn Fenris and too far away to do anything, Kagome remembered throwing up two shields at once.

She also remembered putting more strength in the one protecting Fenris since he was closer, and because the shields could only be so strong when she had two held up at the same time, and so hastily at that. The blast must have broken through hers and knocked her over...to wherever she was.

Kagome sighed and shut her eyes.

She only hoped that the one protecting Fenris had held against the explosion.

o.O.o

_"__Again?" she laughed, pulling the bow off her back and letting loose an arrow at a bandit before he could even palm his daggers—_

_—__Fenris let loose a string of curses. "There are more of them! It's an ambush!" His markings flared brightly with his anger, casting twisted shadows about. "These are not ordinary bandits—they're hunters!"—_

_—__Kagome was panting heavily; her quiver was dangerously low on arrows, so she had taken to a pair of daggers. Blood seeped sluggishly down her arm, the leather torn from where a sword had swept through, and she was favoring her left leg. Fenris was faring considerably better than her, largely because his armor better suited to take hits._

_ "__They really pulled out the stops this time," she remarked, pressing her leather-clad back against his while she caught her breath._

_There was genuine concern belying her offhand remark, and he shifted closer to her. "We will be fine," Fenris assured her, sounding confident, and he was pleased to hear her give a breathy, wry laugh._

_"__Yeah," and a quick glance back saw her grinning at him, eyes bright. "We can take them."_

o.O.o

Fenris stood in the shade, absently biting into an apple as he gazed at the city up ahead in the distance.

_Kirkwall_, he mused as he chewed languidly. "The city of chains…" he said aloud to himself, before he pressed his lips together in a thin line.

_It's probably a trap, _immediately came the thought, laced with bitterness and contempt. Fenris chucked the apple core to the side, flicking residual juices from his fingertips. _There is precious little that would entice Danarius to leave the lavish comfort of his mansion, and to a city such as this. _

If what he heard was correct, Kirkwall, rife with refugees from the Blight and its Templars that largely influenced the city, was the only place worse in their treatment of mages other than in Par Vollen itself with the Qunari.

Such a fact actually soothed him, and he'd be lying if the thought of Danarius being rounded up and thrown into the Gallows didn't bring even the slightest twitch to his lips.

_But what if…? _ His traitorous mind beckoned, and Fenris cursed under his breath and tried to ignore how the optimism in it brought back images of bright blue eyes and long hair as dark as the night sky itself.

It was enough to steel himself and start down the path leading into the city, his frown dark enough to make those passing by skittish at the sight of him.

Perhaps it _would _be a trap, but in the light of even the smallest chance of him being able to bring his blade to his former master's throat, his fingers around that bastard's heart, he would gladly take it. And if not, then at the very least he'd get the chance to cull down his hunters. Either scenario would be immensely therapeutic, he figured.

Fenris reached down and idly weighed the small pouch at his hip, a grim scowl twisting his lips.

He had let his guard down once already; he refused to walk into another one of Danarius' ambushes unprepared.

He would not make the same mistake twice.

o.O.o

Kagome leaned heavily against the railing, ignoring the mist spraying her face like thousands of tiny needles and the wind whipping through her hair. The ground underneath her feet rocked in a steady sway, a remarkable change from a few days ago.

"Jus' another day or so until we reach land, I'd wager."

Kagome hummed and turned to the sailor beside her—she was a tall woman with a foot over Kagome and light brown hair streaked with highlights, her dark-skin roughened in a way that only spending years under the sun on the sea could manage. Her arms, taut with muscle, were crossed beneath her chest as she squinted dark eyes out at the horizon.

The woman, the captain's first mate who went by the name of Caralina, glanced over and regarded her with curiosity. "Have you been to Estwatch before?"

Kagome nodded. "Lived there for a couple years," she replied over the roar of the waves, "But I only visit once in a while nowadays."

The sailor gave a soft murmur. "Thought so—you didn't look very surprised when the storm hit," she said by way explanation at Kagome's own curious look. The route to Estwatch by boat, after all, was often complicated by storms.

For a few moments more they chatted , until the captain called her away with a shout, and left alone the miko stared out into the sea once more, mouth curled into a pensive frown.

_"__If you're trying to distance yourself from Danarius, why not take to a ship? Wouldn't it be quicker?"_

_Fenris ripped the roll in his hands in two, passing the other half to Kagome as they sat in the shade offered by a large oak tree. "It would not have been impossible to smuggle myself onboard a vessel, perhaps even strike a deal to gain passage in secret," he admitted, a touch reluctantly. He tore a piece from his roll with his teeth, chewing and swallowing before speaking once more. His voice, this time, was much quieter. "But being trapped on a ship for weeks, with no avenue of escape if needed, did not sit well with me."_

_Kagome peered at Fenris and saw him glaring at remains of the roll in his hands. She let out a hum. "That and on a ship, you might have no choice but to eat a bunch of fish, right?" she said lightly, popping a small piece of bread into her mouth with a small grin._

_It startled a snort from the elf, as well as a wry smirk. "There is that as well."_

Kagome sighed at the memory and shut her eyes, resting her forehead against her arms.

o.O.o

_—__The hunters' numbers were thinning down, thankfully. Less than a dozen remained: the leader, a warrior that towered over both of them with a battle axe, a young mage, and a few rogues. More than manageable, Fenris thought, as Kagome brought one of the rogues down with ease and a rather impressive battle-cry. _

_But then he felt it; a pressure building at the back of his mind, the fine hairs on the nape of his neck were raising, his markings pulsed of their own volition—_

_The mage—_

_—__Kagome's voice screamed at him; his heart leapt up in his throat at the pure, unadulterated fear in it. _

_"__**Fenris**__!"_

_He turned and the world exploded into a flurry of reds and oranges and then—_

_Darkness._

o.O.o

"You didn't need to lie to get my help."

_Could I...?_ Fenris studied the unusual group—a dwarf, an elf, and two humans.

_It sounds like the start of a bad joke,_ Fenris thought balefully, _Two humans, a dwarf, and an elf walk into an alienage... _He turned to the woman he thought to be in charge and found her to be staring back at him in open curiosity, chin jutted out proudly and a hand propped on her hip as she waited. _But they look competent and there is strength in numbers... _

While he found her clear gray gaze fixed on him a bit unsettling, there was a certain look in them…

_Perhaps..._

"That remains to be seen," he replied quietly, and he turned back to the dead hunter whose blood still dripped from his fingers, crouching to investigate his belongings. Moments later, Fenris stood once more. "It's as I thought," he bit out sharply, "My former master accompanied them to the city. I know you have questions, but I must confront him before he flees." Fenris paused for a second, his gaze flickering away awkwardly. "I will... need your help."

"It sounds like you intend to do more than just talk," the woman commented, a thin, dark eyebrow raised at him.

Anger licked under his skin. "Danarius wants to strip the flesh from my bones, and has sent so many hunters that I have lost count." Unconsciously, his hand covered the pouch at his hip, and it was all he could do to keep his fury at bay. _Hunters that have dogged me at every step; that have took blood and time and life from me._ "And before that, he kept me on a leash like a Qunari mage, a personal pet to mock Qunari custom," he spat, taking a step forward, a furious scowl twisting his mouth. "So, _yes_, I intend to do more than just _talk_."

The woman regarded him silently, appraisingly, before she lifted her chin, lips curling. "If it means fighting more slavers," she murmured, tone light, too light in fact, that instinct warned him to keep an eye on her, "I'll help you."

Fenris couldn't deny the relief he felt at that, soothing his fury. "I will find a way to repay you, I swear it. The magister is staying at a mansion in Hightown. Meet me there as soon as you can," he requested, turning on his heel. "We must enter before morning."

_I will repay Danarius for what he has done, Kagome. I will not allow your death to be unavenged._

o.O.o

Sparse light poured through the cracks of the ruins' corroding ceiling, the mirror beneath it glimmering faintly, sending flickers of light about the chamber. Kagome ran her gaze over the twisted stone that encased the dark glass she had been studying and researching about for almost the past decade before her eyes slid shut and she exhaled slowly.

She could feel it; power, great, potent power thrummed through and around the mirror mutedly. A communication device, she recalled reading, but nothing in her research in Tevinter could explain how or why the mirror opened up as a portal into such a different world at the exact moment she fell against it, or how it came to be in her own world in the first place.

Countless others must have touched the object before, she was sure, but there were no rumors about its hidden abilities or of any other disappearances linked to it. She had wondered—was she somehow the catalyst to triggering the mirror's reaction? Could it have been her own abilities as a miko? Her connection to the Shikon? Her displacement in a time not her own?

Or perhaps the mirror did open to any that pressed against its gleaming surface, but with its victims vanished, no one knew what happened?

And not only that, but was the mirror connected only between this world and hers, or was it a pathway to countless other worlds in which mirrors similar to it existed?

So many questions with answers she knew nothing of.

And now… And now, after nearly seven years, Kagome wondered if there was even any point in returning. Who knew how time passed on the other side; who knew if she ever _did _manage to activate the mirror once more, it would open to her world and not a different one entirely. Who knew how it worked, other than the ancient elves themselves that created and utilized it in the first place?

And then Fenris…

Kagome's jaw clenched. Even if she did discover a way to return to her world, leaving without seeing Fenris one final time, without making sure he was safe and out of the clutches of his ex-master's hands, did not sit well with her. Fenris was alive, she knew that much, but she wasn't sure where he was or whether the hunters that had ambushed them had managed to capture and take him back to Tevinter.

She doubted it, to be honest. The blast that sent her unconscious was an uncontrolled one; only a mage with a sufficient barrier would be able to survive such a powerful explosion, and the one who orchestrated it was the only mage remaining.

And when she managed to climb her way out of the gorge and survey the remains of their fight, none of them wore armor resembling Fenris' unique one, so she knew some way or another, he had walked away from the clearing. Whether it was on his own two feet or by help of the hunters she wasn't sure, but if they did, she had no idea how would she even begin to go about helping him escape once more…

She only knew that if it indeed came to that, she would need help…

A tingle in the back of her mind pulled her away from such thoughts and away from her meditation. Her eyes were still shut when soft footsteps approached her.

"Shippo," she murmured in greeting over the faint echoes of skittering of the spiders roaming distantly in the ruins, recognizing the familiar aura belonging to her friend. It was the other one she was unfamiliar with. "You've brought a friend?"

The kitsune took a seat beside her. "Yeah."

Kagome raised an eyebrow as she turned to Shippo—gone was the young child she and Inuyasha first stumbled upon, and in his place was a mature looking young adult. He was dressed in dark leathers, a slim, curved longsword strapped to his back and a dagger at his hip. Looking at him made _her _feel old…

He also had a sheepish grin on his face, and that was when she decided to turn and see who he brought.

Kagome's movement spurred Shippo's companion to slowly step out from the shadows and into the light. The first to draw her attention were striking gold eyes, sharp and wary and lined with charcoal and dark purple. Inky black hair was coiled into a loose bun, and wispy long bangs framed an angular, slim face, pale and severe but hauntingly beautiful.

Taking the woman in, _powerful _was one of many words that came to Kagome's mind. Dangerous was another, but not in the sense that this woman was a threat to her, or at least, not at the moment.

"Greetings." The woman spoke curtly, her voice rough and accented and strong, and she strode forward a few more steps. "I am Morrigan."

o.O.o

_And she's alive! __Though they're still separated; the reunion will be something else, I imagine._

_Like always, feel free to hit me up at my tumblr with some prompts!_

_Till next time!_

_RainLily^^_


	4. Part IV

_for my lovely friend, miniroonie! once again, happy birthday!_

_**Disclaimer:** Obviously, neither Dragon Age nor Inuyasha belong to me._

* * *

Part IV

* * *

Feeling her eyebrows furrow, Kagome pulled her gaze away from the woman standing before her to cut a look over at Shippo, who nodded eagerly. Trusting him, she turned back and dipped her head. "Kagome," she introduced herself, "Pleasure to meet you."

Morrigan blinked at the warm greeting, her lips curling in an almost playful smile. "To you as well," she murmured, pleased, and her eyes flickering over to Shippo. "What a curious pair you make," she mused mostly to herself, her words coming at a slow drawl.

Kagome leaned forward, arching an eyebrow. "You mean because we're two people in a world not their own?"

Morrigan tipped her head, regarding the pair with a keen eye. "There is that," she conceded, sounding amused, "A remarkable feat to be sure, one worth investigating. There is also, however, the… contrast."

Kagome's eyes flickered over to Shippo appraisingly; the kitsune only shrugged, sheepish grin still fixed in on his tanned face. "You can sense auras," she said slowly.

"Yes," was the woman's simple answer. She took a step forward, and another, and another, until she came at a stop a few paces from the mirror, her attention shifting to the elven artifact. "You are to demons in your world what Templars are to mages in mine . And yet, here you two are, together."

Well then.

She wasn't _entirely _wrong, Kagome surmised.

Shippo tossed an arm around her shoulders. "Basically, except priestesses are _generally_ about protecting against the evil ones than hunting—that's more _slayer_ territory, but without, y'know, the whole widespread oppression."

Morrigan only gave a small hum.

"Anyway," Shippo drew out, turning to the miko. "I bumped into Morrigan while tracking a lead to another mirror in Orlais. Turns out we weren't the only ones researching these things."

"Really?" Kagome said in surprise, before turning an expecting look to the mage herself.

"My reasons are my own," Morrigan replied sharply. "But I have an invested interest in these mirrors. I have been searching for others to restore and activate."

"So you use them to travel between countries?" Kagome murmured, and the mage nodded. "How about between worlds?"

Here Morrigan looked distinctly uncomfortable. "T'is more difficult, but I _have_ done so."

"Difficult how?"

"Difficult in that…" Morrigan paused to consider her words. "To travel between mirrors, they both must be open," she began. "If a mirror is not already activated, then I must do it myself—impossible to do when I cannot reach the world the mirror is located in the first place. Secondly, it takes great effort to move between worlds, as well as great power." The woman curled a pale hand into a tight fist, bringing it to her abdomen. "I have tried it once—I would not try it again, not so soon."

Her gaze moved towards the pair, scrutinizing the demon and miko. "How you two not only activated the mirror in your world without meaning to, but traveled through that and this mirror as well, and to do so largely unscathed… t'is a mystery even to me." She returned her gaze to the mirror. "This mirror has yet to even be activated itself—it should not have even _worked_."

Her frustration was as obvious as the blatant yearning to understand in her tone.

"She really likes these mirrors," Shippo helpfully informed.

"I do not simply _like_ these mirrors," Morrigan snapped, exasperated and annoyed, and Shippo jumped. "It is not some whimsical fascination—t'is a desire for _knowledge_, to understand that which has been lost so many years ago, to bring back and preserve the magic of old."

Shippo held out his hands in surrender. "Right, right, of course," he hastily said, trying to appease her. By the look she was giving him in return, it wasn't working. "I just meant…" he trailed off at the dangerous glare the mage sent him, and when he shut his mouth it was with an audible click.

Kagome looked between the two, eyes narrowing. "So," she interjected, curiosity getting the better of her, "When you say you 'bumped' into each other…"

Shippo gave a nervous chuckle, his hand moving to rub the back of his neck. He shot a quick, almost worried glance Morrigan's way. "When I said I was following a lead to a mirror, what I meant was that I actually found one. And then she found me. Aaaaand then she proceeded to attack me."

Kagome shut her eyes and sighed. Why wasn't she surprised?

"Though not until after you propositioned me," Morrigan remarked offhandedly, throwing a sneer in his direction. Shippo paled. "And rather poorly as well—I have heard better attempts from an Antivan Crow, and his were as painful and poor as his skill as an assassin."

Kagome's gaze went skyward and she shook her head. Out of all the people Shippo allowed himself to be influenced by, it _had_ to be Miroku. "And you came with him here, still?" she asked, resigned.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Shippo's lips twitching. He leaned towards her, and with an obvious whisper, said, "_Really _likes them."

Kagome's gaze flickered towards the mage to see her slowly clenching and unclenching her fists, and the miko had to resist the urge to palm her face. _Teasing_, she thought with incredulity,_ He's teasing her. Of course he is._

"You are _impossible_," Morrigan muttered darkly. "And I cannot wait until I can activate this mirror to send you back to your own world." Turning back to Kagome, she exasperatedly muttered, "Your friend is rather persistent," to which Shippo grinned proudly at. "He also managed to avoid my attacks long enough to explain he wasn't a threat, and once he mentioned his only interest in the mirrors was to return "home," I was… more than willing to listen."

Kagome leaned forward, interest piqued. Her talk with Shippo about _proper _etiquette when addressing a woman could wait until later. "So you can do it?" she inquired. "All the texts I found said nothing about how to activate a mirror, or even how to… power it to enable travel."

"If I worshipped a god, I would pray to them that it would be so." Morrigan said that with a complete straight face, staring directly at Shippo.

Said kitsune tried for a charming smile, to which the mage turned her nose up at.

She turned back to the mirror, eyes trailing along the carvings on its borders. "In any case, to activate a mirror one needs a key. Each mirror has a different key," she explained for Kagome. "It will take research, close examination, and most importantly and _unfortunately_, time."

**o.O.o**

The deep roads almost, _almost_, matched up with the holdings Danarius kept for his slaves. It was almost just as oppressing, dark, and uncomfortable. The smell of desperation reeked—or perhaps that was them, not having bathed in more than a week.

The only thing missing was the knowledge that they were not stuck there forever. Just less than a week left, if things all went according to plan.

_As if things ever went according to plan_, he thought bitterly, glaring at the walls.

"Fenris?" The elf in question turned, seeing Hawke sitting up and rubbing her right eye as her left peered at him. "What are you doing up? Bartrand's men has the watch covered, and Anders said he'd wake up long before darkspawn could sneak up on us. You should get some sleep," Hawke said gently, and Fenris felt his jaw twitch as he clenched it.

"I will sleep when we are no longer in this infernal place," he said sharply, crossing his arms. He could hear, past the sound of lava churned somewhere in the distant, the distinct sound of spiders—the sound of their legs clicking on stone. His skin itched at the thought of so many threats within distance—to _sleep _with the knowledge…

Blasted spiders. Blasted darkspawn. Blasted deep roads with its stale, cold air and dank atmosphere and never ending tunnels.

Hawke tried for a wry grin, but even he could tell the deep roads were taking its toll on her and she was only keeping a brave face. Her 'grin' was strained, and dark circles resided underneath her eyes. A full week had yet to passed, and they had only just found a thaig worth looking at. "If I knew you were claustrophobic, I never would have invited you," she joked.

Fenris twitched. "If I knew just how funny you thought your jokes were, I never would have requested your help those months ago," he snipped in return.

An awkward silence followed.

"That hurt, Fenris," Hawke said quietly.

The elf sighed roughly, guilt gnawing at him. "I know," he admitted, and saying the words felt like pulling his teeth. "That was ungrateful of me; you did not deserve—"

But Hawke didn't even let him finish. "I think I may cry—you, my dearest friend, do not enjoy my humor? You don't like my jokes?" She slapped a hand against her thigh. "Was it all a lie, then, all those times we laughed together?" she demanded, clutching at her armored chest and staring back at him with eyes wide with betrayal.

There was even a fucking tear building in one of her eyes.

Another silence followed, one not so awkward and much more infuriating.

Slowly, Fenris closed his mouth, the rest of his apology dying at the tip of his tongue. Instead, a few choice names itched to be said. It was only out of respect—of her and his desire to live to see the sky and breathe fresh air—that he restrained.

A chuckle sounded a few yards down where Varric laid in his bedroll. "I'd watch it, Hawke," he warned, not sounding at all concerned but instead, grossly amused. "The deep roads have a way of messing with people's heads. Broody might be on the edge of snapping and killing us all."

Fenris snorted, and moved over to drop down onto his bedroll. Perhaps sleep _would_ be better, if only to escape _those _two. "And lose my way out of this vexing place?" he blandly replied, "I would wait until we were at the exit before that happened."

Hawke snorted and Varric chuckled. "Well, at least you're reasonable about it."

**o.O.o**

"Slavers, Kagome?" Shippo exclaimed once she finished talking about her own trip to Teviniter and back. "Seriously?"

With a grimace, Kagome directed her attention to the pot of stew she had boiling over the fire, stirring through the chunks of meat and vegetables. Raising the wooden ladle to her lips, she carefully took a small taste. Seconds passed as she considered the flavor, before dipping her fingers into the pouch of spices at her side and stirring it in.

When she leaned back to peer at her friend, he was, to her disappointment, waiting impatiently with an expectant look solely for her.

Kagome sighed and placed the ladle down. "You know, you _were _the one that said you didn't like me travelling alone," she reminded the kitsune in her defense. "And I figured since he was running from slavers he wasn't about to sell me off behind my back."

Shippo snorted, the sound rife with his incredulity. "Because you would've been safer with someone to watch your back—partnering up with someone who _already_ had a _bounty _on them kinda misses the point!"

Kagome looked away, a grimace twisting her face at his sharp words. "He needed help," she said, this time more quietly as she remembered the first time she saw Fenris—unconscious, heavily injured, and covered in blood. It wasn't her _intention_ to accompany him out of the Imperium when she decided to patch him up; things just… fell into place that way.

She recalled the way during the three days it took for Fenris to recover, how he rarely, if ever, took his eyes off her as she moved about their small camp. How he watched with a close eye when she prepared the food, always waiting until she took the first bite before tentatively starting in on his own meal. How he tensed whenever she was in close proximity to him, jerking minutely every time her fingers brushed against his skin when she changed his bandages and cleaned his wounds, and how, as soon as he was able to, he demanded to do what he could manage himself.

In all honesty, part of her asking to join Fenris was from a whim—a random impulse born from her desire to have _someone_ to talk to during the long journey between Tevinter and Estwatch. Minrathous was a grand city filled with tall, elegant spires and bustling markets displaying a range of grandiose wares—where in broad daylight one might be witness to one person so casually slapping another to the ground without _anyone _batting an eye or raising a protest because slavery was actual, legal practice there.

For nearly a decade she'd been displaced into a world not her own and Kagome had never felt so out of place than the moment she'd stepped foot into the Imperial capital, and that was without even getting into the blood magic practiced behind closed doors like some badly kept secret or the things that went on in the dark of the night deep in the alleys of Minrathous.

She was just so… so _tired _of being alone, and she had never felt it so poignantly until that point. She couldn't have been happier to leave that place behind her once her research was finished.

Stumbling upon Fenris when she did felt like a sign almost.

The other part of her reasoning was because she would _never _be able to forget the look of pure terror Fenris wore upon waking that first time, nor the haunted look that never seemed to completely leave his eyes, and if anything, she wanted to at least help make sure he got away from whatever it was that he was running from.

The thought that she might have not even done _that _was something that ate at her incessantly.

Fiddling with the string of the bag of spices, Kagome drew it shut and tied it deftly. "And it… Just seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Personally, I am impressed she managed to return from the Imperium at all," Morrigan idly chimed in as she gingerly turned the page of what looked to be a very old, very worn tome. She had taken a seat a small distance away from the campfire opposite to them, but close enough that she was still able to read. As she continued to speak, her eyes remained on the page before her. "From what I understand, they aren't so picky that they only choose elves to be slaves."

Kagome scoffed at the reminder. "There were a couple close calls," she admitted. "But I made sure to keep to myself. Besides, they don't really snatch you off the street so much as try to weasel you into signing yourself into 'indentured servitude'. After all, they aren't _barbarians,_" she said, the last word uttered with blatant mockery.

Morrigan snorted under her breath. "And the elf seemed to be a capable warrior in his own right. An ex-slave was likely your safest bet in terms of companions, if one ignores the slight chance of him sacrificing you to further ensure his escape," she went on to say, as if such a thing was perfectly reasonable.

Kagome diverted her eyes because that honestly had never even occurred to her.

The witch finally looked up to peer at Shippo, a neatly trimmed eyebrow arched at him. "As such, I find your reaction curiously… extreme, for a friend. She is clearly alive and well."

Shippo sputtered in outrage. "I am _not _overreacting!" he huffed, crossing his arms. "I'm an appropriate amount of concerned."

Unable to help herself, Kagome reached over with a grin and lightly pinched the kitsune's cheeks with both hands. "I know you worry and I find it sweet, but you know I can take care of myself."

Embarrassed, Shippo swiped at the miko's hands. "Stop that," he muttered darkly, ducking his head to hide the obvious flush to his cheeks. "I'm not a kid anymore, gods."

Kagome only snickered softly.

Morrigan was now looking at them with both of her eyebrows raised. Her confusion was as clear as day.

"Kagome pretty much raised me," the kitsune explained as he jumped to his feet to get away from the miko.

"Ah," the witch murmured, a touch of awkwardness and something _else _to her voice, and she turned back to the tome before her, the heavy gaze resting on a random spot. "She's like a mother, then. I… I understand."

"Yeah, well," Shippo muttered under his breath as he darted closer to the witch, eager for a change of topic.

The odd look on Morrigan's face, a sort of soft, contemplating expression, faded as the kitsune drew nearer. Bringing her tome closer towards herself, she shot a suspicious up at the demon. "What are you doing?"

"I'm just curious about what you've been reading. You've been looking at it since I've met you." Kagome held back a laugh when Shippo didn't move away, his mouth twitching at the corners as Morrigan began to glare. "Oh? Am I distracting you?" he teased.

There was a sudden chill and Shippo yelped as he leapt away, foxfire gathering in his hands to thaw his suddenly frost-covered tails. He had taken to leaving the illusion that hid them off when it was only them around—a choice he now regretted. "That was _mean!_"

Morrigan said nothing as she turned back to her book, but even in the low light Kagome could spy the slight, soft curl of the witch's mouth.

**o.O.o**

They had thought that once they stepped foot back into Kirkwall, the Deep Roads and the betrayal that still had them seething behind them, it would only get better from there—that it _had _to, after the hell they had gone through just to get back to the surface.

For Hawke, however, they quickly learned that wasn't the case.

"The fucking _Templars!_" Hawke repeated for what seemed to be the tenth time that evening, still as furious as ever and drunk to boot. "That little shit—of all the stunts he could've pulled—the _Templars!_"

Tipping the wine bottle back, Fenris took another long swig and grunted.

Upon his return, the first thing he did was take a long, extensive bath. The second thing was eat a large, hot meal—the most expensive one that the inn in Hightown, the Silver Nest, offered.

The third was to go home and pass out drunk, which Fenris was a happy to do with or without Hawke.

"I just—I just can't _believe this!_" Hawke moaned, swaying slightly on the bench. "All that fucking work, running around this fucking city doing one shitty job after another, pinching fucking coppers, nearly dying in that _death hole_."

Wordlessly, Fenris grabbed Hawke's empty cup from between them and poured it halfway. He was about to hand it over when he glanced at her. He took in her wrinkled brow, her pouting lips, and her flashing gray eyes before he shrugged and filled it to the top.

Not even a second after he offered the drink did Hawke take it and chug it down with a grateful hum.

Hiccupping, she slammed the wooden cup on the bench and swiped a few plum drops from her mouth with the back of her hand. Silence followed in the few short moments after, as she braced her arms against her knees and stared into the small fire that he had going in the fireplace.

"She blames me, y'know?" she mumbled, more somber now, "My mother? Blames me for Beth's death, even if she denies it now—but that's a'right, even I think it's my fault after all. Now she blames me for Carver too, for not being there to stop him. As if _I _can control what the tit does when he's got an idea in him. More stubborn than mabari—which he gets from _her_."

Fenris, not knowing what else to do, passed the half-filled bottle of wine over, slipping it into the woman's hand. "Here, throw it," he rasped, nodding towards the wall. "It'll make you feel better," he said with a sageness that was laughable with how drunk he was.

Shrugging, Hawke shifted her grip on the neck of the wine bottle, squinting as she turned to the wall, aimed, and launched.

It was a close call, veering so far to the right that with just another foot more it would have landed over where his bed was in the corner, but it hit and shattered, coating the peeling wall with wine and littering the broken tile floor with glass.

"Huh," Hawke said, as if she was just hit with an epiphany, staring at the dripping mess she made. "That _does _help. I can see why you do it."

Fenris nodded firmly. "It's not that good of wine anyways," he confessed.

Hawke snorted and peered over at him with half-lidded eyes. "Then why even bother to drink it?"

The elf's lips twitched as his eyes fluttered shut, huffing a low laugh. "Because I like to imagine what Danarius' face would look like if he ever saw me drinking his subpar, expensive wine," he murmured, and his smirk grew. "And because it still gets me drunk."

Hawke let out a long laugh, the sound permeated with more than a few hiccups.

"I'm surprised you came," Fenris said as he cracked an eye open to look at her. "To me. I'm not…" He trailed off, sloppily waving a hand in the air. "The comforting type. And I would have thought, since you and Isabela…"

Hawke waved him off. "Family stuff makes her uncomfortable," she replied with a small chuckle that had very little humor in it. "Try as she might deny it. She'd probably just suggest getting drunk and… working it off. Which, don't get me wrong, has its merits," she amended, "But…" The mage shrugged.

Fenris snorted, but understood. Sex may be good to work off the stress, but only until it came back from keeping what was wrong all bottled up inside—not that _he _could talk. Bottling things up was a specialty of his, and the streets outside had a seemingly never-ending supply of thugs outside for him to take his anger out on when the need prescribed it, and that was more than enough for him.

Hawke on the other hand just needed to let it all out—vocally. Lending an ear was the least he could do for her. "You still got drunk, Hawke," he reminded her.

Hawke grinned. "Which I thank you kindly for supplying the alcohol for." The grin faded a little, and she sighed, turning back to the fireplace. "But you're also letting me get it out, er, so to speak." Her voice lowered. "Don't really have a lot of people I trust that I can just… talk to. Vent."

Fenris shifted in his seat, glancing away. "You have Varric," he mumbled, adding after a moment, "And Aveline of course. You've known her for much longer than you have me."

Hawke hummed. "Varric's always good for getting things off your chest, if you don't mind the possibility some bastardized, outrageous version getting out." Fenris snorted but didn't argue against it—though he believed both he and she knew that with something as… personal as this, Varric wouldn't even consider doing such a thing. "Also, he has his own sibling drama to deal with. Mine seems almost… petty in comparison. And Aveline… she'd try to talk things out and calm me down when all I want to do is, well, this."

She spread her hands out in an encompassing gesture at the both of them, hunched over next to each other on the bench, before flashing him another grin. "You're a very good friend, Fenris," she told him, her wide eyes conveying the honesty of her words.

Privately, Fenris was touched. Being on the run from slavers didn't leave him many opportunities to foster things such as friendship and trust, nor was it even something he was exactly amenable to. He did not think he'd be able to instill such a thing in others, in all honesty. It certainly was not his intention to when he came into this city.

Especially not after the last time he allowed himself to get close to someone.

Outwardly, Fenris huffed and raised an eyebrow at her. "I will not be helping you… work this off," he informed her rather balefully.

Hawke sputtered with laughter. "Don't worry, you're not my type," she wheezed, wiping a tear from her eyes. "I won't be sullying your virtue by seducing you."

"I appreciate it," Fenris deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

His intention was merely to hire help. Just having one person fighting beside you had it merits, that much he knew well, and hiring them meant having help without getting close. Without caring.

He'd never meant to stay.

A curious looked crossed the mage's face. "Though that begs the question. Has anyone—" The woman interrupted herself with a snigger. "Has there been anyone who's ever had the privilege of knowing the color of your underclothes?"

Fenris went still, feeling himself flush, even more so when Hawke began to laugh again. "That pirate has been too much of a bad influence on you," he muttered darkly, turning away.

But then, he'd be lying if he said that the time he spent traveling with Kagome left him unaffected. Never would he have thought to be so close to a mage without entertaining thoughts to kill, or even to consider one as a companion.

And Hawke… Hawke had a way of drawing people towards her, and inspiring loyalty and trust among those around her.

She reminded him of Kagome sometimes, when he least expected it.

Hawke could be sarcastic and flippant, immature even, though he knew from the day they met that she could also be serious, deadly. But she also shared the same inherent goodness Kagome had often exhibited, the quickness to help for the sake of helping without asking for anything in return—not that Hawke would ever turn a reward away if offered, of course.

It made him want to talk about _her_.

Despite himself, Fenris found his hand drifting to the pouch strapped at his side, where a certain, small marble was still tucked away.

"That wasn't a no," Hawke teasingly sang, interrupting his thoughts. "But then, nor was it a yes."

They also shared the uncanny ability to get under his skin.

The warrior sighed. "You know that I do not trust easily, Hawke," he confessed.

Hawke tilted her head, giving an acknowledging hum. "Which you have reason to."

Turning away, the man hunched further in his seat, his voice dropping lower. "Even during my time spent with the Fog Warriors, I didn't trust them. But after… after Seheron, I met someone. A woman."

"Oh?" There was a hint of teasing still evident in her voice, but the look in her gaze told him she was listening, and was serious.

Still, he felt his ears grow hot once more. "We weren't _that _close," he muttered with a disgruntled click of his tongue, trying to shake his mind of flesh pressed against flesh and breathless grins and dancing laughs. Fighting beside one another alone was exhilarating… Even he sometimes wondered, in the dead of the night and alone to himself with the only reminder he had of her held between his thumb and forefinger as he gazed at it, of what could have been.

Kagome had been his first of many things—the first person he ever came to actually trust, his first friend, his first partner… the first to make him feel _safe_, almost, and sometimes he found himself thinking of what other firsts she could have been.

_"Would you have used it? Wish yourself and your friend back to your world?"_

_"No… Staying here wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen… And besides, I'd never have met you if I did."_

He'd tried to ignore his burgeoning attraction to her as they traveled, and barring a few exceptions he was successful, too focused on putting distance between himself and Danarius to allow himself to entertain such… luxurious thoughts.

It was ironic that once he finally did, it was _after _he'd actually lost her.

"She saved my life," Fenris told her honestly. "And traveled with me for some time out of the Imperium. I owe her… very much."

_And how did I repay her? _ came the bitter thought without fail, _By getting her killed._

In his lap his hands curled into tight fists, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest as anger warred with the pain and guilt.

"She's also part of why I want to _end_ Danarius once and for all."

By now, all signs of levity had left Hawke's face completely. "I feel like I should have waited to throw that bottle," she murmured, trying to lighten the tension, but offered a sympathetic smile as she turned to him and lightly bumped against his shoulder. "So, tell me about your mystery lady."

Grateful for it, Fenris' lips twitched and began to talk.

**o.O.o**

At the crack of dawn one morning, Kagome stared at the mirror that deposited her and Shippo alone into this world so many years ago.

_"Shippo? Shippo? Gods, answer me, please wake up…"_

_Everything ached, her muscles, her bones; her head was pounding and sent the room spinning but she ignored and pushed through it to crawl her way over to the kitsune sprawled upon the cavern floor, unmoving. The relief at seeing his chest rising and falling as he breathed was palpable, but she still gave him a weak shake to rouse him, needing to hear his voice, see him move._

_"Ka-Kagome…? Where… Where are we? Where is everyone?"_

She remembered clambering to her feet, how it took a few tries before she had success, Shippo's hands trembling as they wrapped around her own, pulling him up and steadying him, the teen huddling close to her side.

She remembered venturing out of the cave, the pair of them stumbling aimlessly until they heard the sounds of waves crashing, following the noise only to find themselves on a shore they didn't recognize, ships sailing in the distance that flew flags neither could recall ever seeing.

She remembered the first time she touched the Shikon only to realize—there was nothing. In her daze she had forgotten its very presence, only realizing it was still hanging from her neck when her knuckles grazed the cold, smooth surface while shedding her clothes to bathe on that second night after waking.

She remembered the dread pooling in the pit of her belly, as she the realization of just how wrong everything actually was hit her.

Reaching out, Kagome touched the glass, letting her fingers trail over its murky surface, feeling the power that thrummed under its dormancy.

She found herself contemplating their impending return back home, as she often did, distantly wondering if it could be called that anymore after so long. Nearly eight years now so far, and that was only on her end.

_"…I was thinking what home was, exactly…"_

Her time with Fenris was the first she ever felt at peace in this world. Likely because it was the first time she _allowed _herself to open up and become close to another person, to feel such a way—at that point, she had long since began to doubt their ability to return to their world and was then beginning to accept it.

_"…I've only just realized it recently, but I quite like it here…"_

It was the thought of leaving Shippo alone in this place, however, which had spurred her on to continue looking for a way back. Stuck as they may be, her time was limited and she still had Shippo—it would only be decades before she would pass on, leaving him alone to live on in a world he didn't belong for centuries to come.

But now a new thought came to her that had her wondering—she recalled the look of wonder on Shippo's face, when they first began to explore this new world, the excitement in his bright emerald gaze as he took it all in, and she wasn't ignorant to the lingering looks he'd often send their newest companion.

Was returning to their own world something he even still desired?

As she heard faint footsteps approaching, the miko allowed her hand to fall away from the Eluvian, watching as the blurry reflection of Morrigan appeared from behind only to stop a few paces away. She saw the mage's head tilt, but couldn't decipher her expression through the tinted glass.

"You are up rather early," the mage commented.

A simple-sounding remark at first pass, if one didn't listen closely and missed the hint of underlying curiosity.

"Couldn't go back to sleep," Kagome murmured in return, and turned to offer a polite smile—a smile that faltered only moments after. "If I could ask you a question?"

An eyebrow rising, Morrigan tipped her head to signal for her to continue.

"What are our chances of getting back? Truly?"

The mage blinked, her brows furrowing. After a moment to consider the question, she pursed her dark tinted lips and sighed. "Not well, I'm afraid. Activating the mirror is simple in comparison—and it is _not _a simple task. The circumstances around your entrance into my world are very… peculiar. I am not so sure it can be… replicated, or at least, not in a way that would ferry you two back safely into your world. As it is, I find taking this one step at a time to be the wisest, and safest, course."

Absently biting her lip, Kagome turned back to the mirror in contemplation. "…Thank you, Morrigan, for your honesty," she finally said after a moment, before deciding to take her leave. "And for your help. I think I'm going to get an early start on breakfast—I'll let you know when it's ready."

Morrigan blinked after her but said nothing as she left, her golden gaze trailing after the miko as she walked away.

As she made her way out of the ruins and towards their camp, Kagome sighed faintly and found her mind drifting to a certain, fair-haired elf.

_I truly hope you're safe, Fenris…_

* * *

_so what did you guys think? writing these scenes, particularly writing shippo and morrigan, and fenris and hawke together, were a blast haha._

_also! since the last time I've updated my dear friends miniroonie and kagomes-lover have absolutely spoiled me with art for this fic. i've got links up on my profile so definitely go check 'em all out! if you guys are reading this, thank you, thank you, thank you again!_

_and of course, thanks to all who've reviewed, fav'd, and followed this fic! i really appreciate it!_

_till next time!_

_rainlily^^_


	5. Part V

_surprisingly managed to update within a week, wonders never cease lmao. i wouldn't get used to it though, this is probably a one-time thing ^^; chapters keep on getting longer and longer too haha. anyway, enjoy!_

_**warning for torture.**_

_**Disclaimer:** Obviously, neither Dragon Age nor Inuyasha belong to me._

* * *

Part V

Morrigan leaned heavily forward, her hands braced against her bare knees as she sucked in deep breaths. While curses slipped from Shippo's mouth, Kagome immediate sprung to the mage's side.

"Are you alright?" she quickly asked, hands already glowing as she called forth her abilities.

The mage eyed the miko's hands, and though she appeared curious, she also possessed a look of wariness. Camped outside the ruins as they were, Kagome did not exactly have many opportunities to demonstrate the extent of her abilities. There were no mages—no _enemy _mages—nor were there any demons flouting about and attacking them; the strongest adversary they had met so far was the mirror itself, and barring that, the spiders roaming the ruins. As such, her healing was not in high demand either.

"I—I believe so," Morrigan panted, a palm held out to gesture that help was unneeded. "As I said, great power is needed when it comes to these mirrors, especially since I am not of Elvhen blood. T'is only draining." With a shaky hand, she reached up to wipe away the sweat beading up over her face, before taking up the water skin at her hip and taking a sip.

Kagome shared an uncertain look with Shippo before turning back around, shifting her weight from foot to foot. When the other woman had pulled the water skin from her lips, capping it, she reached out with a tentative hand to touch her shoulder—underneath her fingers the mage became still. "You don't… you don't have to do this, if it's too risky," she murmured, unable to hide her concern as well as her guilt. "Our return home isn't worth your health."

Morrigan remained unmoving for a long moment, before slowly lifting her head to look at the miko. After some speculation, her sharp golden stare slid to the kitsune hovering over the shorter woman's shoulder, where for an instant it softened before shifting away. "I… am doing this as much as for myself, as for you two—perhaps even more," she slowly but firmly said with confidence, and Kagome pulled her hand away. "We have deciphered the key and completed most of the ritual; now all that is left is to finish what we came here to do." An awkward pause followed, in which the mage fidgeted before briskly dipping her head in a grateful nod. "Though, I thank you for your concern, however much t'is unnecessary."

Quietly, Shippo snorted but made no move to argue as he went to sit back down on a nearby boulder.

Morrigan wasn't finished though. "One must wonder, however…" she continued, drawling, "If being returned to your world what you truly desire?"

Kagome froze, but before she could reply the mage went on, trailing back over to the tome she had laid out open nearby, intent on checking on something—though not without one final, offhand parting remark.

"What… _either _of you truly desire?"

Kagome's eyes widened. Whirling around, she face Shippo only to find him staring not at her, and quite obviously at that. Instead his focused was fixated on what must've been a particularly intriguing spot on the ground in front of him.

She had long had her suspicions, but if Shippo wanted to stay, Kagome needed to hear it from the kitsune's own mouth. Approaching her son, she gently pressed, "Is that true? You want to stay?"

Shippo shuffled in his seat, peeking up at Kagome warily. He looked—_nervous_, and Kagome random urge to laugh. "It's not so bad…" the demon hedged, "This world is actually pretty interesting."

Kagome scoffed under her breath, "Yeah, I bet the darkspawn are quite the riot," she said dryly. Stepping closer to her son, she crossed her arms and levelled him with a stare, softening her tone. "Seriously, Shippo."

The redhead suddenly took to his feet, throwing his hands into the air as he paced away from her. "Kagome, I _am_. We've spent close to a decade here, and—and I've kind gotten used to this world. Even if we get _this _mirror working, Morrigan said that the one in _our _world may not be activated anymore, if it ever was in the first place, making everything we did here pointless, never mind the fact that trip back could very well kill us. Is it really worth the risk?" A note of pleading entered his voice, and he sent her an beseeching look, whispering, "Is this world really so bad?"

Taken aback, the miko's eyes widened and she couldn't help but wonder how long he'd felt this, how—how long he had been holding this back.

She couldn't deny having entertained the same thoughts. With so many years having passed, with the possibility of returning so slim, it often had her wondering if trying was even worth it. Then there was the matter of the Shikon Jewel; she had a feeling that it somehow helped ferry their way into their world, like it did for her between times with the Bones Eater Well, but since their trip the Shikon held as much power as the cheap glass trinkets her family would sell at the shrine—she wasn't able to sense a thing from it.

And now, she didn't even _have _the jewel in her possession, not since her last fight with Fenris against the hunters.

"Shippo," Kagome softly implored, hoping to calm him a little, "I'm just asking because… because if we decide to stay here, eventually you'll be here alone. There aren't any kitsunes here, any demons. At least in our old world, there's Inuyasha and Sesshomaru and other demons that would live as long as you." She shook her head with a sigh. "The demons here… they're nothing like back home. They really are the embodiments of sin and evil."

At that Shippo seemed troubled, as if the idea of him outliving her had yet to really occur to him. Uncertainty now clouded his face, his fingers twisting with one another. "Kagome…" came his anxious whisper, before his eyes suddenly widened with realization and he glanced over at her in surprise. "Wait, you mean you wouldn't mind staying too?"

Kagome looked away, rolling on her booted heels. "I… still have business to take care of," she admitted timidly, biting her lip, "I… _would _like to finish it before going back."

Apparently Morrigan was still listening, because she chose that moment to chime in. "Clearly she wants to find that elf of hers," she bluntly drawled, unconcerned with Kagome's following bout of sputters.

"It just doesn't feel right to leave without making sure he's okay first," she said in her defense, sharply glaring in the mage's direction to no affect.

Morrigan snorted. Shippo felt inclined to feel similarly skeptical. "_Just _to make sure he's okay?"

Kagome was _not _appreciating being ganged up. "_Yes_," she insisted sharply, cheeks pinking, and decided a change of subject was in desperate need. "And I think you're right about the trip back home. The more I think about it… the more I feel like trying might not end well for us, not without the jewel. We almost died even when we _did _have it."

"Yes," Morrigan murmured, eyes becoming unfocused as she became withdrawn in thought, "This 'Shikon no Tama'… I believe it was that which triggered the mirror in your world in the first place. Neither of the mirrors, I am assuming, was activated when you two used them, and yet here you are." The witch began to pace as she conveyed her reasoning aloud. "As a human priestess and a fox demon, frankly you should have died during the trip between, yet you are alive—as if you were either protected in some form, or something else powered the trip. That you ended up _here_, through _another _inactive mirror instead of the realm in-between is still a mystery even to me."

Turning to them, Morrigan gave then a tiny decisive nod. "T'is should be safe to say that this _jewel _was the instigator of all these anomalies."

Shippo stared at her in disbelief. "So you're saying going back home was impossible all along?"

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "T'is _unlikely_, but I dare not say impossible—or at least, t'is too soon to tell. I could, perhaps, manipulate the magic of this mirror to link to the mirror of your world, since you two have proved that there _is _a connection between the two, though t'is much riskier and… less accurate in terms of destination."

The mage turned to the mirror in question in consideration. "Or, we can travel to the in-between and maybe find the mirror to your world already activated, and if not, perhaps there may be a way _to _activate it. This way would naturally take much longer, however, and may prove fruitless. Either way, this mirror must be activated."

Returning to the mirror Morrigan raised her hands, a blue glow beginning to emit from her palms. "Whatever your decision, you _may _want to decide soon, as it will not take much longer to do so."

* * *

With a rough exhale, Fenris pulled his sword from the raider's chest with a wet squelch, the glow of his markings dimming as he scanned the area absently and found no more enemies left to fight.

Languidly wiping his blade on the closest body available, Fenris took a moment to catch his breath.

_Another job done, _he thought with grim satisfaction. Sliding his blade onto his back, he bent over to begin rummaging through the raiders' pockets, taking things that seemed of worth and discarding those that weren't. Once he was finished, he moved over to the crates said raiders were hoarding, finding the stolen goods he was hired to recover and more when he looked through those as well.

Midway through his inspection, Fenris paused at the prickling sensation that suddenly crawled down his spine, fingers twitching and his lips beginning to curl in a silent snarl—he was being watched.

Drawing his hands away from the crate he was digging through, Fenris turned and took a closer look at his surroundings.

Weaving through the dead bodies littering the ground, Fenris surveyed the clearing, keeping an eye out for any movement among the rocky cliffs and outcrops or in the leaves.

The Wounded Coast was not an area lacking in enemies, be they other raiders, smugglers, Tal Vashoth, beasts, or demons.

Possibly even slavers.

Minutes passed as he waited for whichever it was to jump out and attack—alone as he was, he knew he looked like quite the easy mark.

Nothing came, however. All that moved were the leaves and branches of the bushes and trees littering the terrain as a breeze ruffled through them.

The warrior cast another suspicious look about before straightening. _Perhaps they did not miss the number of raiders lying dead on the ground, and decided the risk wasn't worth it_, he mused, deciding th shake it off and return sifting through the goods.

Still, he did not relax completely as he finished his sorting; he wasn't able to, in fact, as that instinctive sense of being watched never quite left him. Nonetheless, he worked past it as he took the stolen goods he was tasked to acquire, among a few other items that looked valuable, before stashing the rest somewhere out of sight. Knowing Hawke, he'd end up back in the area before the week was up anyway, and could pick it up then.

Scowling deeply, Fenris shouldered his pack and began to walk, the trip home an increasingly unpleasant experience as the feeling of being watched trailed after him all the way to Kirkwall. It was only until he made it into Lowtown, slipping into the throng of people milling about between stalls to do their shopping, that he managed to shake the feeling.

His meeting with his employer was short, and as he left the encounter with his pack lighter and his purse heavier with the weight of added sovereigns and silvers, it was with an unsettled feeling that he returned to his self-proclaimed mansion in Hightown.

o.O.o

Morrigan was not wrong in her estimation. Just a few days later she had lead them back through the ruins into the chamber holding the mirror and, without any word or prompt, waved a glowing hand over the surface.

The glass glimmered and rippled, and the pair watched on in wonder as the image in the mirror changed; no longer did it reflect the murky visage of the cave chamber itself, but another 'room' entirely, if it could be called that—one where they could spot a variety of other mirrors in the distance.

Shippo stepped closer, eyes lit up with intrigue. "Is that…?" he breathed out.

"The Crossroads, yes," Morrigan faintly murmured in return, nodding, and with another wave of her hand the image rippled once more before fading away. Turning to the pair she crossed her arms, her chin lifting as she peered at them through hooded eyes. "Have you two come to a decision?" she briskly inquired, a sort of guarded curiosity in the stare she gave them, tension thrumming the in lines of her lithe arms.

"Eager to get rid of us, huh?" Shippo murmured wryly, and for a moment, Morrigan's expression faltered—it became something softer, more vulnerable and conflicted even, but it was gone so quick that Kagome could not be sure if she imagined it or not.

With an irritated harrumph, Morrigan turned away from the demon, instead directing her expecting gaze at Kagome instead.

Ah. "I…" Kagome shifted in her spot, and with a prolonged glance at the Eluvian, she swallowed lightly. No. She couldn't leave—not yet. "I'm staying," she told them quietly, her tone decisive. "There's something I need to."

"You mean someone?" Shippo guessed. Gone was his teasing drawl, his voice now gentler, kinder—knowing.

Looking between the two, Morrigan hesitated before drawing away to give them their privacy, though not without a lingering glance at them over her shoulder.

Kagome's cheeks heated and she covered her face. "I need to check up on him, at least," she confessed, her words coming muffled behind her hands. "See him. See if he's still alive, still free. Is that alright?"

Shippo's mouth curved into a small smile. He reached out, took his mother's hands with care and tugged them from her face, "Kagome," he murmured, "If that's what you want, then of _course _it's alright." Grateful, Kagome smiled, huffing softly when Shippo leaned forward, laughing lightly as he pressed his lips against her forehead. "And after? If you find him?"

Kagome ducked her head, and Shippo laughed again, taking her growing smile and pinked cheeks as answer enough. Pausing, the kitsune looked over his shoulder at the mage standing yards away from them, her back still to them as she busied herself examining the mirror. "I… I think I'm going to stay too," he admitted, unusually bashful. "There's, ah, something I need to do as well."

Unable to help herself, Kagome found herself grinning. It wasn't often Shippo was shy—or, at least, it wasn't often that he _showed _it. "You mean someone," she repeated, knowingly and faintly teasing, and grinned wider when she found the kitsune to be blushing.

Over the months, Kagome couldn't help but notice how the pair had become… closer. Oh, they were subtle, or maybe it was just a slow process—Shippo still pestered the mage to no end and Morrigan still snipped at him in return, sharp and scathing, but there were times that she'd find them talking closely at night.

She wasn't ignorant to the little moments they shared, like Shippo never failing to bring Morrigan food when she'd rather remain working on the Eluvian, or tugging away and providing distraction to give her a much needed break. Nor was she blind, catching Morrigan's small, reluctant but no less fond smiles when Shippo wasn't looking, how her barbs had softened just a tiny bit, and her indulgence to tell of her tales of travelling with the Warden, the woman who killed the Archdemon.

Most memorable, however, was when Morrigan hesitantly inquired about how _they _met—and then, later approaching Kagome one night to speak in private to ask about her experience raising Shippo—listening to the story with a degree of great captivation, before she ended up tentatively confessing of the son she had of her own.

Shippo had been—to say shocked would be an understatement, but genuine curiosity had won him over and he asked her why she hadn't mentioned him earlier and where he was, before diving into questions about the boy himself.

He was also the one who insisted she'd leave to check up on him occasionally.

Shippo was smitten with the mage, and Morrigan… Kagome suspected she felt the same.

Turning her hands in her son's grasp, Kagome gave them an encouraging squeeze as she steeped closer and said, more quietly, "Have you…?"

Shippo shook his head hastily, "No." He ducked his head, copper bangs swishing across his forehead, lips quirked. "Not yet. But I will." Peering down at Kagome, he bit his lips, fangs peeking out, and smiled shyly. "I… I don't want to let her go."

Kagome felt her heart flip and she beamed up him, throwing her arms around the kitsune as a delighted laugh spilled forth from her lips. "I'm really happy for you," she whispered warmly, pecking him on the cheek. Then, she released and pushed him gently. "You might want to tell her though."

Cheeks still a little red, Shippo grinned and nodded before promptly pivoting on his feet. "Looks like we're staying!" he cheerfully announced to other woman in the chamber. "Sorry to waste your time like that!"

Morrigan spun around in shock, staring back at the kitsune with widened eyes, a curled fist brought up to her chest, pressed firmly against herself. "You…you're staying?" she repeated numbly, as if she wasn't sure she heard him correctly, and without skipping a beat her eyes narrowed, switching gears as she swiftly demanded, "_Why?"_

Instead of answering her, Shippo approached her with quick, short strides—Morrigan had taken one cautious step back before freezing completely at his close proximity, allowing him to loom over her. "Because I'd be a fool not to," Shippo confessed with grave honesty, his voice dropping to a husky baritone, and he reached out, fingers gently sliding under Morrigan's jaw to cup her face. "When the woman who's stolen my heart is right here, in this world."

The mage clutched at her shirt tightly as she stared up at him in astonishment. "You'd still be a fool," she breathed out softly, "We've known each other for not even a year."

"And if I leave, I won't get to know you further," Shippo gently argued, "Tell me to leave—tell me that there's no chance and I'll back off. I will. I just can't leave without trying—it would be a regret that would haunt me for the rest of my life."

Morrigan's lips tightened—the mage looked like she didn't know whether to kiss him or smack him for such a cheesy, romantic line. "You are _insufferable_," she finally snarled, and for a split-second Shippo's face fell—but then Morrigan's hands shot out and gripped the straps of his breastplate to yank him down and meet her lips.

Shippo sputtered at first, but it didn't take long until he melted into the kiss, matching Morrigan's ferocity and tugging her closer.

With a small smile, Kagome took that as her cue to slip away and begin packing.

o.O.o

_The chain rattled and clinked in his ears, the collar—twisted leather and metal—rubbing, chafing up against his neck, tugging painfully against the base of his skull and pulling hair caught within. Eyes fastened to the tile before his feet, he allowed himself to stumble forward along with the pull._

_"Closer, Fenris…"_

_His feet moved as ordered, following where the chain led, his neck craning even further the closer he came to the man reclining in a grand, plush, ornate chair._

_"…Yes, master?" he whispered, a deferring rasp just barely audible over the clink of chains and the soft scratches of quill and parchment._

_"My goblet, little wolf," the magister instructed absently, attention still on the documents spread before him. "Fill it."_

_Just out of reach on the furthest corner of the lavish desk sat the aforementioned cup, next to it a bottle of wine. Mechanically, he brought them over, carefully pouring the blood-red liquid before returning the bottle to its place once done._

_"Master," he murmured, offering the drink._

_Instead of accepting it, Danarius straightened and tipped his head back just slightly, waving his free hand—beneath his fingers the glass grew colder, and Fenris instinctively curled them tighter, his markings lighting up and emitting a soft glow, the lyrium beneath his skin beginning to stir in such close proximity to active magic._

_The glow lasted only mere seconds, and in the time Danarius lowered his hand, Fenris mutely slid closer and brought the now chilled rim to the magister's lips._

.

.

"But _why?_"

"Because… You looked like you needed it…"

.

.

_His body rocked in tandem with each lash, face twisting with pain every time he was hit, nothing more than a soft grunt or a sharp inhale escaping his lips as he took his punishment._

_Five… Seven… Ten… Fourteen… Higher the number grew, until the count finally ended at an even twenty._

_Back bowed and thrumming with tension, Fenris trembled, the slick wetness of his blood dripping down the length of his back, intermingling with sweat that left his wounds stinging sharply with white hot agony._

_"As stoic as ever, my silent wolf," came the sickly-smooth drawl of his master. There was a faint note in his tone, akin to disappointment, that made his insides twist._

_Fenris did not respond, instead swallowing thickly, eyes clenched shut and jaw twitching as he somberly rode out the pain._

_The magister sighed and began to make his way towards the door with a rueful shake of his head. "Do make sure to clean up after yourself," he dismissed, addressing the blood that marred the pearly white tile, as well as the whip left out on the table, still wet with his blood._

_Fenris inhaled slowly, steadying, his face smoothing into a blank expression; his hands, however, unconsciously curled into tight fists, before slackening in the next second after. "Yes…" he dully intoned in return, "Master."_

_Danrius was just slipping through the doorway when he paused, a split-second of hesitation, before he shook his head deftly and continued on his way._

.

.

"My name is Kagome, by the way. Didn't get a chance to introduce myself before you… Well. You know. What's yours?"

"…"

"So you're not going to…? …Alright, I mean, I can always call you Grumpy, if you want—it _does _have a nice ring to it, but I'd much rather have a name. Doesn't even have to be your real one, to be honest—it's not like I'd know either way."

"…"

"Really? You really want me to call you Grumpy? _Seriously?_"

"…_Fenris_. My name is Fenris."

"Nice to meet you, Fenris!"

.

.

**_ smoke filled his lungs; his skin felt hot, scalded; his head, fuzzy._**

**_through the cloud of smoke a glint, a gleam, frosty dark blue that had his blood turning to ice._**

.

.

_Nighttime was the only time he'd ever get some semblance of peace, a moment of quiet and solace from the ministrations of his Master._

_"Little wolf, little wolf, I know you're awake."_

_But not on nights when **she **was there to play with him instead._

.

.

A laugh—long and bright and happy, dancing on the soft breeze, washing over him like the sun on a warm spring day.

"…Then this will be an experience for both of us, huh?"

Despite himself, he felt his lips twitch.

_Smiling, he was smiling._

It felt so easy, so effortless.

It felt _nice_.

"One that I look forward to."

.

.

**_"—ur fault."_**

.

.

_Ice blue eyes flashed, as cold and hard as the hail the descended from the skies during the worst summer storms. Lips painted in blood spread and twisted into a caricature of a smile, white gleaming between the lines._

_Fenris shut his eyes, a distant hope to shut himself away from what he knew was to come. Sleep, all he wanted was to sleep, to escape if only for a short time._

_A whisper crawled through his ears and down his spine like tiny knives._

_"Won't you play with me, little Fenris?"_

.

.

The cut was deep and jagged, an angry red at the edges and bleeding freely—too much for his comfort.

With a poultice and diligent care, it would heal adequately, he knew—as did she.

"Fenris, it isn't so bad. I can take care of myself."

Still, it left him unsettled for reasons he wasn't quite sure yet, his chest feeling tight, a weight building at the base of his throat as he examined the wound.

"Then you should do a better job of it, then."

His sharp retort shouldn't have garnered a smile, yet one appeared, pink lips curling in a soft grin that was meant solely for him, because of him.

He felt the tightness in his chest fade at the sight of him, his heart tripping as warmth spread throughout his entire body.

"I'll try, just for you…"

.

.

**_footsteps approached. each step was louder than the last, echoing like a death knell beneath his breastbone._**

**_dread curled in the pit of his gut, an old friend to the guilt that had long begun to stir._**

**_a pale face broke through the smoke, a scowl marring a face once cheerful that now was gray, decaying, partially blackened with burns._**

.

.

_"Hello, Fenris…"_

.

.

As he stared out the window, a sharp eye out for any movement in the shadows that darkened the alleys for the hunters' approach, he absently wondered—would it ever end?

"How much time do we have?"

He shifted towards the voice only slightly, enough to indicate that he had heard.

Then, he wondered, would it even matter? They had yet to come across a challenge they could not meet.

"Enough for us to pack, at least. I saw them in town. They have yet to reach this inn."

Let Danarius throw his money and men away to try to bring him back. Fenris wasn't afraid. Not anymore.

After all, he wasn't alone this time.

.

.

**_thin, cracked lips parted and move—four words spilled forth and his heart dropped like a stone._**

**_"it's all your fault."_**

.

.

_"You can never escape me…"_

.

.

A pressure building, alarms firing in the back of his mind, the fine hairs on the back of his neck rising, his markings pulsing, throbbing, sparking instinctively.

A scream.

.

.

**_she regarded him with teeth bared in a sneer, with accusation and hate he knew he deserved—nonetheless, her words struck a chord in him _****_still, one that had him reeling as if they were strikes from a lash. _i'm sorry_, he wanted to say, but the words were lodged in his throat along _****_with his heart._**

**_"it was YOU they wanted."_**

.

.

_"FENRIS!"_

"FENRIS!"

**_"FENRIS!"_**

With a desperate cry tearing from his lips, Fenris surged from his bed, his marking lighting the room up with a flash. His chest heaved with broken gasps, sweat-laden sheets plastered to his bare skin, and his forest green eyes were nearly swallowed whole by blackness as they stared out, unfocused in his terror—until reality slowly, finally, returned to him.

As the glow from his markings dimmed as he came down from his nightmare-induced panic, a shaky hand rose to cover his face, rough, calloused fingers gliding over the damp surface, and he curled within himself with a lengthy moan. Shudders started to rack his body, and suddenly Fenris was hastily wiping at his wet face, his hands only falling to his lap in a listless heap when his eyes and cheeks began to feel raw.

Memories of the nightmare continued to assault his mind, his shoulders shaking harder and harder with each passing second, until his whole body rocked with silent sobs. Burying his face into his hands once more, Fenris could no longer hold it back, hoarse gasps pulling from his lips as he cried, a million things but only a single name on his mind.

o.O.o

It was a over week later that Kagome found herself on a ship again, this time leaving Estwatch. Her destination: Nevarra.

Morrigan and Shippo had said their goodbyes and left together, passing through the Eluvian into the Crossroads, where they would travel through the mirror that would lead to where Kieran, Morrigan's son, was staying.

Kagome looked down at her hands, which she had folded along the wooden railing of the ship's port. A glint of gold caught her eye, and her gaze lingered on the parting gift Morrigan had given to her that now rested on the ring finger on her right hand.

_"Here."_

_Kagome blinked as she caught the small object Morrigan tossed at her. "What's this?" She opened her palm, rolling the object between her thumb and forefinger—gold, smooth, thin but with a wide band. "A ring?"_

_Morrigan nodded briskly. "An enchanted ring," the mage corrected, but not unkindly, "I have… come to think fondly not only of your…" she trailed off, clearing her throat, looking distinctly embarrassed and uncomfortable about whatever she was about to admit, "Of your son, but you as well. You have been a healthy dose of sanity when other I might have ended up throttling that kitsune."_

_Kagome bit her lip, but was unable to hold back her amused snort. Morrigan's lips twitched briefly, before she sobered and became serious. "You have… also been a friend, if I could call you that," she confessed, sounding as awkward and unsure as she looked._

_Kagome gave the younger woman a comforting smile. "I consider you a friend as well," she said kindly in return, "This past year has been… an enlightening experience. I've really enjoyed your company, and you've such a great help I can't thank you enough." Though touched, Morrigan was looking more and more overwhelmed with each word. Kagome gave a soft, rueful laugh, before taking pity on the mage and asking, "So, you said this was magical, was it?"_

_Grateful for the subject change, Morrigan nodded more easily. "It is part of a set, in fact. What it does in particular is… transfers emotions, intents." Here, the mage paused, shifting in discomfort. "You say you will be looking for that elf of yours, this Fenris?"_

_Kagome hummed._

_"Meaning you will be travelling constantly," Morrigan concluded, with a severity Kagome now knew was more for show than anything. "I've given the other ring to Shippo, in the case that one of you would like to reach or check in on the other, it will convey such. Or… if your search does no go as you expect, and you decide you want to return home…"_

_Kagome frowned, the thought decidedly displeasing. "I can let you guys know to meet you at the Crossroads?"_

_Morrigan nodded once more, this time more gentle. "You already know how to use the mirror so you would come through there and let us know when you've arrived. We can work on the mirror to your world on our end, if that is what you wish. If t'is not…" Morrigan's gaze slid away, not meeting Kagome's eyes, "I would not object to you joining us. And no doubt Shippo would be happy as well."_

_Kagome beamed, tears coming to her eyes. "Thank you," she said earnestly, slipping the ring on her finger. "I really appreciate everything you've done for us, Morrigan, and for Shippo in particular." Before the witch could protest, Kagome pulled her into a hug. "Take care of him for me, please," she whispered. And of yourself and Kieran."_

_Morrigan sounded choked as she replied, "I will do my very best," she breathed out in return, giving the miko a short, but thorough squeeze before slowly withdrawing from the impromptu embrace. "The bond between the two of you… I find myself envious," she murmured, fingers curling into her palms._

_Kagome tilted her head, and she recalled the conversations they'd shared after the mage revealed Kieran's existence. When Morrigan approached her to talk about her experience raising Shippo, she did not reveal much about Kieran himself. The distance she maintained between herself and her child, as well as the secrecy led Kagome to believe there was something about Kieran that Morrigan was trying to hide, to protect, which Kagome could understand. _

_But what Morrigan did reveal was her lack of faith and confidence in her ability to raise her son._

_"You'll be a great mother, Morrigan," Kagome said truthfully and the mage froze, wide, golden eyes snapping up to meet hers. "I can tell you love him, despite… despite how you try not to. You'll bound to make mistakes but just…just as long as you show that, and that you're there for him, you'll be good." She paused there and winked. "Plus, Shippo's pretty great with kids."_

_Morrigan's astonished expression broke with her loud snort. "He's practically one himself," she muttered under her breath, "But… that is nice to know. And… thank you," she said, softly now, "For the advice. Truly, I very much appreciate it."_

They went their separate ways after that, Shippo and Morrigan through the Eluvian and Kagome out of the ruins, towards Little Lloymerryn to book passage on a ship.

It had already been six days since they've set sail—they had just left the port in Ostwick two after a brief stop—something about dropping and receiving cargo—and she'd been warned it would take time to reach Cumberland, which was where Kagome was planning to step off.

"Fancy seeing you again."

A bit startled at the drawled greeting, Kagome turned to find that she had company—the ship's first mate in fact. Caralina, Kagome quickly remembered from the last time she sailed to Estwatch about a year ago. The sailor was wearing a small, friendly grin as she leaned heavily against the railing beside her. "Mhm, Kagome innit?" Caralina grinned wider when the miko nodded. "Where you off to now?"

Kagome smiled back, settling back to relax against the railing as well. "Nevarra—Cumberland, to be exact, actually."

From there, she was hoping to travel up through Nevarra back to the Imperium, where she hoped to find news of Danarius if nothing else. Despite how reluctant she was to return to the country, she figured it was the best place to start—even if Fenris wasn't there, if the magister was still sending hunters after him, then there was bound to be a trail she could follow herself.

Next to her, Caralina raised her eyebrows. "Bit o' a bloody place, that Nevarra—the nobles are circling the King like crows, just waiting for the moment he croaks he's that old. Rather particular about their dead, too." Nevertheless, she shrugged, not asking why she'd want to travel there. "Cumberland ain't so bad, though—_big _city. It'll be a long trip though," she warned, "We'll be making stops here and there along the coast of the Free Marches to move cargo and whatnot, we're not really much of a charter ship." Her eyes took to the skies as she tipped her head back in consideration. "Depending on the winds, it'll be just shy of two weeks if we're lucky."

Kagome shook her head to wave it off. "Oh I know, the Captain Rylan already filled me in—though, what kind of ship is this then?"

"Oh we're a mixed bag really," Caralina answered offhandedly with an easy shrug, leaning further onto the railing. It was a clear day, something to take advantage of, and winds were good; the older woman's hair glinted silver and brown under the sunlight as wind blew it to the side. "Bit o' cargo transport, chartering, merchant dealings and whatnot—whatever keeps the money flowing and sails flying." Peering at the archer out of the corner of her eye, Caralina winked. "Really though, the good 'ole Cap just likes to be out at sea."

Kagome snorted a bit under her breath, lips twitching. "So whatever floats his boat, then?"

Caralina sniggered and cracked a grin, before tossing her head back in a full blown laugh; Kagome was grinning herself, until she felt an odd tingle in the back of her mind that had her amusement faltering and herself on guard. "Pretty much, he—"

A panicked warning cut the sailor off, just a split second before something exploded and the ground under their feet surged. Kagome was sent stumbling, almost toppling over the edge if she hadn't caught the railing in time and steady herself, legs bent in a crouch as she rode out the ship's undulation.

The first thing to reach Kagome's senses was the smell of something burning; then, smoke filled the air, wafting before her eyes, the sting causing them to water—Kagome harshly blinked them away, urgent shouts for water filling her ears, and tried to figure out what was going on.

What she found was the ship's starboard was in flames, a chunk of the deck and railing eaten away.

Turning from the destruction, she swiftly craned her head to figure out where and who the attack had come from.

Captain Rylan—a great bulk of a man despite his age, with salt-and-pepper hair that was more salt than pepper pulled back into a short ponytail and a messy beard—was already a step ahead of her on that. And even feet away and with the heavy boom from a following explosion—duller, softer, as it missed the ship, thankfully, hitting the water yards away on the right instead, but it still sent the ship surging underneath them from the force—she could hear the heavy expletive spitting from his mouth as he recognized the ship in the distance.

_"Fuckin' 'Vints!"_

* * *

_dum, dum, duuuum. lmao, what did you think? ^^ how does that nightmare scene look by the way? ffn doesn't allow right-aligned text unlike ao3, so it's not formatted how i intended it to be? tried to fix it the best i could but... its supposed to be confusing, since it's a nightmare but i didn't want to make it too hard to follow?_

_basically it starts with him alternating between getting hit by bad memories of his past as a slave with danarius and goods ones of travelling with kagome, and then comes the bold-italics as a haunting reminder of what happened when the bad met the good (the hunters finally catching up to them in the ambush that separated them) and how it's all his fault until they sort of merge at the end._

_y'know, cause it's not like i put poor fenris through the ringer nearly enough times already. (i'm a horrible asshole)_

_also, more news! my lovely friends continue to spoil me. since last time, miniroonie and now beautiful-phantom both have worked their magic and created some more beautiful things for this fic! head over to my profile for links to check them out!_

_thanks for the reviews guys! and all the favs and alerts!_

_ till next time! ^^_

_rainlily_


	6. Part VI

_again, to my lovely friend, beautiful-phantom: HAPPY BIRTHDAY! hope your day is amazing and wonderful!_

**_note: _**_i was making a timeline of the events so far, and due to future and in-game plot reasons, i ended up having to change the ages of Fenris and Kagome. they meet when they were 22 and 23 respectively—as of this chapter, Fenris is 26 while Kagome is 27. sorry for any inconvenience!_

_hope you guys enjoy the chapter! thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed, liked, and favorite'd!_

* * *

Part VI

Another long spiel of cursing burst forth from Captain Rylan's lips, loud and harsh and tinged with furious dread. He turned to shout for all hands on deck and a change of course. "Tevinter mages," he spat with vitriol, pounding a fist against the rails—in the distance, Kagome was stunned to see a trio of mages standing at the helm of the apparent Imperial vessel, vaguely seeing hands waving in the air and _definitely _seeing the spherical inferno churning between them growing with each passing second. "The hell are they doing here and the fuck do they want with us?"

Next to her, Caralina actually _snarled_—Kagome's head snapped over in shock, taking in the normally dark-skinned woman's face paled with her wrath. Stormy, amber eyes caught Kagome's as she answered, words dripping with acid as she pushed off the railing and moved towards her captain.

"My guess is slaves." Scarred hands curled tight around the wooden bar, blunted nails digging into the grooves. "Or our goods. Whatever it is, there's no fighting them—we're no match."

"I know that, _shit_." Rylan glanced over his shoulder to check the progress of his crew—more sails were being dropped and they were raising the ship's colors. "Our only chance is to escape, which we don't have much of at all." His lips curled, baring his teeth in a sneer. "Fucking mages—can't even fight them, they'd only sink us and sweep up what's left." He turned back, eyes squinting in the direction they were sailing. "_Maybe_ if we make it close to Kirkwall they'd back off but…" His gaze fell away, hands curling and clenching as he trailed off with a harsh laugh, dismissing it as a lost cause.

Kagome bit her lip, watching the growing inferno with baited breath, an itching sensation coiling in her palms. Just a few of those spells were all that were needed before people would have to start jumping ship. Heart pounding in her chest, she breathed out curse of her own.

These people… they didn't deserve a fate like this, to die by sea or fire or to live a life as a slave. Nor was it a fate she wanted for herself.

Decision made, Kagome pushed off the rail and strode closer towards Rylan and Caralina, her voice dropping as she asked, "You really think they'd back off if we get close enough to Kirkwall?"

The captain and his first turned to stare. "A damn sight better than trying to escape a ship of theirs," the former answered. "We may be fast—but fast doesn't mean shite if we get sunk." His gaze moved to scan the deck of his ship. "Even with the extra sails up and if we dump what extra cargo we have, it'd take nearly two hours to get within view of port."

Kagome swallowed thickly. It looked like there wasn't much choice, then. "And the attacks—it's only the mage fire we have to worry about?"

Caralina peered at her, eyes narrowed. "Yes. We can stay out of range from any cannons." She clicked her tongue, a bitter sounding noise. "Unfortunately, the same is said for them."

The miko let out a slow breath and then gave firm nod. She turned to them fully. "I can protect the ship from getting hit, then."

Rylan's face took on indecipherable look—but even Kagome couldn't miss how his obsidian eyes lit up. He leaned closer to her, lowering his voice as he caught her eye. "You telling me you're a mage?" he asked under his breath.

His answer was a swift shake of her head. "No, I can't cast any magic like that. I can only block the magic before it hits, dispel it, cleanse the area, that sort of thing."

"Like a Templar, then?" Caralina prompted, before looking the other woman up and down with skepticism evident in her expression. "Don't look like any Templar I've seen."

Kagome gave a quick shrug and glanced over at the vessel chasing them. The growing fire ball above the ship was _huge_, and would likely be launched any moment now. "Never went through the initiation, but you don't need to, to learn the abilities," she quickly explained, which _was _the truth.

Rylan shook his head and waved her over to follow. "Mage, Templar, like I give a shite if it lets you keep those bloody bastards off our arses long enough," he said, leading her towards the ship's stern. He paused for a moment, and then looked over his shoulder with a serious look. "But if anyone asks, Templar is what I say."

Kagome nodded grimly and prepared herself.

.

.

.

"Rise and shine!"

Downstairs the door banged shut, jerking Fenris awake with a sputtered, _"Fasta Vass!" _and causing him to nearly fall out of bed. With frantic movements he scanned the room, unsure what had woken him up or why.

It wasn't long until his ears picked up the sound of feet pounding up the stairs. Without pause and his heart racing, his hand automatically reached for the sword propped next to him, his other throwing his sheets off his body. Just as he was about to careen off the edge of the bed the door swept open—Fenris froze midway as his eyes caught just who stood there.

Hawke and Fenris stared at each other, the woman gaping a little at the sight of the elf half out of bed, an ironclad grip on his sword and the wild look to his face only just fading, legs tangled in his sheets and still dressed in his nightclothes of a lone pair of faded breeches.

Hawke closed her mouth with a click and Fenris slowly lowered his blade. "I—I didn't think you'd still be asleep," the mage muttered, clearing her throat and politely averting her eyes. "You're usually up earlier."

Grunting under his breath, Fenris stripped the rest of his sheets from his person with a snap and took to his feet. "What time is it?" he asked roughly, pushing back at his mussed up bangs and squinting at the window—it was bright, so he wagered mid-morning at the earliest.

"Nearly noon," came Hawke's answer then, and Fenris stiffened. Turning, he found the woman to be peering at him out of the corner of her grey eyes, a look of concern on her face. "Everything alright?"

"Yes," he curtly replied. Snatching up his jerkin he shrugged it on. "It'll only be a moment before I'm ready to leave."

There was a pause. "You sure?" Looking up, he saw that the mage was rolling back on her heels, a gloved palm rubbing absently against the back of her neck, her eyebrows furrowed as she regarded him. "I can ask Aveline to join us instead—we're only going to check out whatever happened to that missing Qunari sentry. She probably wouldn't mind, especially if we make a patrol out of it."

The elf waved her offer away, as well as her concern. "I am sure. I will meet you and the others at the gate shortly."

Hawke looked reluctant to leave it at that, her eyes lingering on his face, but she didn't push. Instead she dipped her head and stepped out, informing him that she would grab the others and to meet up at the east gate as she left.

Fenris listened to the sounds of her booted steps climbing slowly down the stairs and exhaled wearily, scrubbing his face with his hand. He heard the door close in the distance, and took a seat on the edge of his bed for a moment, sat there leaning forward, arms braced against his thighs.

Minutes passed in silence, until he gave another lengthy sigh before rising to his feet and starting on his armor.

Today, he felt, would be a long one for sure.

.

.

.

"They're pulling back!"

Cheers rose from the ship's crew, and as Kagome turned away to slide down against the bulwark, plant her bottom on the deck, and slump forward against her bent legs, she never thought she'd be so happy to hear three words until that very moment.

The Imperial ship had tailed them for nearly half an hour before pulling back once they were sailing into Kirkwall waters and Kagome felt _drained_.

Normally her barriers had no problem blocking spells, but she was quick to realize that joint-spells were a whole other story—it also didn't help that the barriers she had to cast needed to be large enough to protect the ship's stern as well.

She wasn't aware just how tired she was until she found herself jerking awake at someone calling out to her, startling her out of the shallow doze she had slipped in.

"Hey."

Blinking rapidly, Kagome picked her head up from her knees and looked up to find Caralina hovering over her, arms crossed and covered with soot and sweat, a waterskin in hand. "Hey."

Moving over, Caralina dropped to sit down beside the miko, passing the skin over. "You look like you need a drink," she murmured, resting a steady hand on her shoulder and giving a gentle squeeze. "Not to mention some rest."

Grateful, Kagome took it and popped the cap, bringing it to her lips. She was positively parched and had guzzled down almost half before her thirst was finally sated for the moment. "Thanks," she breathed out once she pulled it away, licking her lips to catch stray drops of water. "Appreciate it."

Caralina nodded, giving the miko a small grin. "Least I could do when you saved our arses," she said, winking. "They retreated earlier than any of us thought they would—must've figured there was no point in chasing us right to Kirkwall's doorstep if their attacks can't even work." She clapped a firm hand on Kagome's shoulder, giving another squeeze, this time a grateful one, before pulling away. "You did good. Thank you. Rylan sends his thanks as well."

Kagome huffed wryly and took another greedy sip of the water. "Well, I didn't exactly fancy drowning or becoming a slave." More seriously, she gave a weary smile. "But you're welcome. I was glad to do it. I like this ship," and the miko's smile grew, "The crew's pretty good too."

Caralina's lips twitched, before the snort she was trying to rein in escaped anyway and she shook her head. Her amusement faded though as her amber gaze shifted to the land far in the distance, a grimace twisting her face. "Welcome to Kirkwall," she murmured faintly.

Something in her tone made Kagome pause, and she turned to Caralina in concern. "Well _that _doesn't sound good."

Caralina turned back towards Kagome. "It's _not_," she muttered, roughened, dark fingers curling into her palms. "Kirkwall's the last place we wanna be—was hoping we could push on until the next port-city, but that first hit caused some damage and set many of our supplies and goods to flame."

"…Do I want to know why that is?"

"No," Caralina replied with vehemence. "But you should. A few years back, the survivors of a Qunari dreadnought washed up on the Wounded Coast and for whatever reason, they've camped in the city ever since. Tensions have been building—people want them gone but don't have the balls to give them the boot, from what I hear. Understandable, really, but it's an uneasy peace. It's not gonna last."

Ah. "You don't want to be here when it ends," Kagome guessed, and Caralina nodded.

Her travels had never taken her to Par Vollen, the stories she heard warding her away, but she had crossed paths with Qunari—or rather, Tal-Vashoth—before. She could easily see why people were frightened of them, how their appearance and towering size could be intimidating.

She also knew from first-hand experience how ridiculously strong they were—Sahiya, a soft-spoken, mercenary rogue she once met years back in a tavern in Ostwick, had once picked her up one-handed by the back of her tunic and tossed her aside as if it were nothing, just so she'd avoid the oncoming assassin meant for the Tal-Vashoth herself.

The woman was rather pleasant company, though, and was the one to teach her how to pick locks so as to make up for the hassle.

"You wouldn't either, trust me," the other woman muttered. "There's a reason the Tevinters have been in a deadlock with them for decades. Besides, Qunari and us don't really get along—not after Estwatch."

_Not after Estwatch? _

Kagome paused, confused. "What do you—"

It was then that Kagome saw out of the corner of her eyes a couple of the crew members rolling up the sails, as well as another taking down the flag they'd raised. It was the sight of the flag that had her stopping mid-sentence.

She stared up at the piece of cloth slowly making its descent, her face sliding into a blank look; too busy with the chaos going on she didn't get a good look at it until then, but now it all made sense: the "mixed-bag" comment, the bit about Estwatch, _the fact they had canons _which Kagome didn't even _think twice about _until just then—what kind of cargo/passenger vessel had _canons? _

Though most of her time was spent researching the Eluvian, she did happen to take the time to learn a bit about the world she came into—particularly the island she was inadvertently dropped on.

Estwatch, while an island vied for its strategic placing off the coast of the Free Marches and Ferelden, was disputed territory. It was, in simple terms, a naval base since the time the Qunari took it over in the Storm age until they had lost it.

The port changed hands and so the town of Little Llommeryn was built in honor of the city in Rivain, where the Felicisima Armada operated out of.

Raiders. Estwatch was essentially run by raiders.

And Kagome _recognized _that flag.

The miko felt faint. Twice she had used this vessel to travel between Estwatch and the mainland, the first lasting five days, and now, six days in so far.

Eleven days she'd spent with these people, and it wasn't until this very moment that she realized she was on a _pirate_ ship.

"…" Kagome openly stared in incredulity. In the end, though, she sighed, unable to muster anymore shock after the day's events "…You guys are pirates," she exhaled, sounding distinctly exasperated.

Shippo would have a field day when he found out.

Catalina turned to her and blinked, shoulder lifting in a lazy shrug. "Ferryin's a good cover, don't you think? How else are we gonna smuggle goods?" She laughed heartily, lips quirking. "Honestly I thought you already knew. You're from _Estwatch _after all."

Unable to help herself, Kagome buried her face into her hands with a laugh that sounded a touch too hysterical.

Caralina watched on with amusement, before an odd expression crept across her face and she sighed. "Unfortunately, I think this might be the last time we sail together," she confessed, sounding uncharacteristically somber.

Kagome's laughs faltered at that, and she turned to the pirate in surprise. It didn't take long for understanding to come to her though; even she hadn't missed the lingering glances the crew were shooting at her, she had just been trying to ignore it. Even if she wasn't a mage, calling herself a Templar would be a long shot considering she didn't wear the armor to prove it—questions would be raised and the last thing she wanted were _actual Templars _overhearing them once they arrived in Kirkwall. "Probably for the best, right?"

The pirate nodded. "While me and the Captain won't rat you out, the others…" she trailed off with a shrug. "Well, though the crew is mostly like a family and they're all probably grateful for what you did, we're still _raiders _and some happen to have loose lips_." _The woman tried for a wry grin to lighten the air._ "_Shouldn't trust any one of us as far as you could throw when push comes to shove. Better not to chance it, especially where we're going."

Kagome huffed in amusement and offered a sad smile. "It was great knowing you, Caralina."

The woman wagged a finger. "Now, now, not to say it is goodbye. I'll give you a couple of contacts of mine that won't care about your… specialties. You should get out of this city as soon as you can." Caralina snorted and looked back to where Kirkwall awaited them ahead. "Bad enough with the Templars without the Qunari running around."

Kagome didn't disagree.

Turning back to Kagome, the raider looked the younger woman up and down before clucking her tongue. "For now though, let's get you some rest." Climbing to her feet, she offered a hand. "You look about to pass out right here and now."

.

.

.

With a disgusted grunt, Fenris flicked demonic ichor off his sword with a sharp jerk. Finding the missing Qunari patrol turned out to be easy enough; unfortunately, they were all dead—had been for a while by the look of the remains—and there were demons roaming among the corpses.

The demons were quick to be dispatched, of course, but it was a messy endeavor nonetheless.

Isabela gave a click of her tongue, sliding her daggers home into their sheathes. "Well, at least they weren't rage demons—it's hot enough out here," she muttered, shaking her hair out with one hand and fanning her face with the other. She grimaced when she found a mysterious chunk of something caught in her dark locks and flicked it out with a revolted whine.

Hawke snorted, stabbing the end of her bladed staff into the sand to lean against. "There's the silver lining. Shades? Abominations? Well it could be worse—could've been rage demons too!" She gasped, eyes popping wide with mock horror. "Could've been _spiders_."

Isabela made a face and pointed a finger at the woman. "You _had _to say that—you _had _to. Now I _know _we'll be fighting spiders before we go home. You know what spiders do?" The pirate didn't wait for the mage to answer. "Spiders _explode_. I'm dirty enough, Hawke, and spider guts are _not _sexy."

Hawke gave an apologetic shrug that was more sheepish than anything. "Would it help if I say you'd look sexy in anything?"

Fenris rolled his eyes, as did Isabela, but the pirate also had the beginnings of a grudging smile playing out on her face. "You're a horrible flatterer, Hawke," she muttered under her breath, unable to help her grin.

Varric chuckled as he drew closer to join them. "You're nimble enough Rivaini—just dodge."

"Easy enough for the dwarf who doesn't _need _to get in range of the exploding spiders to say."

As the three bickered and laughed, Fenris didn't join in the levity—instead, his eyes strayed out to the bluffs and down the winding paths of the coast, searching, watching. He didn't notice someone had come to a stop beside him until they spoke up, and Fenris had to bite back a curse and a jerk when they did.

"You alright there Broody?" When the warrior's head snapped over and glared down at him, Varric wasn't fazed. Instead, he watched the elf even closer. "You're looking a little… tense." Which, _that _was an understatement as tension seemed to be rolling off him in waves. Varric leaned closer, his warm eyes taking a more serious light and his voice dropping. "You been getting enough sleep? You've been quiet the whole day."

Fenris scowled. Something crawled in the back of his mind and he fidgeted in his spot, eyebrows drawing together. "I am fine," he muttered. At his sides his hands curled into fists, clenching and unclenching unconsciously.

Varric made a skeptical noise. "Yeah, _that _sounded believable."

Fenris gave a dismissive sniff and pivoted his heel against the sand. "Are we done here?" he inquired as he stalked over to Hawke, who had been bending over to check for loot.

The mage straightened, turning to look over her shoulder at him. She didn't answer straight away, choosing to study him instead, and it made Fenris distinctly uncomfortable to be under the intense focus of her grey eyes. Said eyes flickered over to their other companions, before Hawke's expression changed—to something more relaxed as she gave a lazy shrug and nodded with a smile. "Yeah, sure."

They began their walk back to Kirkwall—Fenris leading the front, with Varric a few paces behind him and Hawke and Isabela at the end. Fenris continued to remain largely silent for the most of it, answering only when prompted; it garnered looks, and normally Fenris would've done a better job of keeping up appearances, but he just couldn't be bothered to, not then.

Perhaps coming out here wasn't the greatest ideas, he realized, but a distraction was needed, even if it lasted only shortly.

"I don't want to pry or anything, Broody," Varric began, just minutes after they begun to cut through a short valley, but Fenris quickly shut him down.

"Then don't, Varric," he interjected with weary finality. Rubbing the back of his neck, Fenris cast a look around him.

A loud sigh followed. "Alright, alright, my sincerest apologies for just being a concerned friend, Serah."

Though he knew it was exactly the rogue's intention, Fenris still felt guilt stir within him.

"It's the demons, isn't it?" Hawke chimed in, and a look over his shoulder saw her giving him a wink. "Shades are enough to put _anyone _on the grumpy side, little bastards they are."

Now Fenris felt gratitude mixing with the guilt for Hawke giving him an out. He would speak to her later, he decided, after they returned home. Perhaps it would be for the best—before the nightmares and his paranoia got the best of him.

For the moment, however, Fenris contented himself to walk and listen to his companions.

"And that abomination was a nasty bugger too," Isabela added, "Nearly got my finger!"

"Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't lost a body part yet, Rivani."

"I know, right? Guess I'm just lucky like that. Once knew a sailor who lost his hand, though—wore a hook after. _I _want a hook. Hawke, what do you think? Should I get a hook?"

A sputtered laugh came from the mage in question. "What? _I_ don't know—are you planning to lose a hand anytime soon?"

Isabela winked. "Always good to be prepared. Though, hm…" The pirate trailed off, canting her head to the side. "Wonder how that'll work though."

"How what will work?"

"_Sex _of course, you goose!"

"You'd take it off, hopefully," Varric remarked with a shake of his head. "Unless you'd want there to be some impaling—and _not _the fun kind—in some pretty uncomfortable places."

There was a pause.

"Maybe I'll hold off on the hook."

"Please do," came Hawke's strangled reply.

Unable to help himself, even in the depth of his dismal mood, Fenris' lips twitched, but his amusement was short-lived; the itch in the back of his head suddenly worsened—to the point that he let out a soft hiss.

_Something is wrong_. _Something is—_

Movement ahead of them caught his attention, stopping him in his tracks with the others following suit—three men were stationed up ahead, blocking the exit. Fenris felt a growl rise up in his throat.

_"Hunters…"_

Isabela gave a quick hiss under her breath, "Shit, up on the bluffs!"

_An ambush. _Fenris dropped into a crouch, his sword already pulled out in front of him. He glanced up and a chill raced down his spine as a memory washed over him—_Danarius stood at the edge, high up on the cliff, a beckoning hand raised at him. "Come, Fenris,"—_only for another to follow when the man above them, flanked by a mage and another warrior, issued his demand.

"Stop right there! You are in possession of stolen property. Back away from the slave now and you'll be spared."

Fenris' grip on his sword tightened, his jaw clenching; behind him, Hawke gave a shout. "Fenris is a free man!"

The leader stepped forward, and though his face could not be seen behind his helm, his sneer clear in his tinny tone. "I won't repeat myself. Back away from the slave _now_."

_Slave_...

The word burned in his ears, a roar that threatened to consume him.

_How dare they..._

Anger licked at Fenris' skin, his markings lighting up in response as he bared his teeth in a snarl.

He would kill them.

He would kill each and every one of them.

With a shout, Fenris threw himself forward to the closest hunter.

_ "I am __**not**__ your slave!"_

.

.

.

"Three times," Kagome grumbled as she pushed her way along the crowded streets, having learned that keeping to the alleys was more trouble than it was worth _very _early on. "In the middle of the _day_."

Kirkwall certainly was a _charming _place—it smelled like shit with a tinge of despair, and barely five minutes in she was mugged three times before deciding the open streets were safer.

If only _just_—she already had to avoid one pickpocket thus far.

Huffing, Kagome took a look around. _Okay… Caralina said the Hanged Man was here in Lowtown. And that I should look for an Isabela… _Kagome caught sight of a stall to her left, set up with a few shields and heavy armor on display and a human man running it, and wondered if she should ask for directions.

It couldn't hurt.

She had begun to make way towards the stall, weaving through the bustling crowd and catching bits of other people's conversations when she heard it.

_"…we could have just grabbed him then. He was even alone!"_

_"Don't be stupid! You know what Danarius said—"_ Kagome's eyes widened and she reeled to a stop, muttering a half-hearted apology when the person behind her bumped against her. _"—this elf's killed everyone he's sent so far. You think just us two can stand a chance? Hadriana's got a plan and she'd skin us alive if we mess it up, you know she will."_

_Danarius. Hadriana._

Hastily, Kagome veered off from the stall to follow the voice trailing away, her heart pounding in her chest.

_Fenris…_

_"Eugh, Maker, that's one scary bitch. Y'know I walked in on her with one of them slaves? She was whistling while carving into some poor elf." _

The crowd was thinning now, and Kagome easily picked out who she had been eavesdropping on. They stood out, especially with the armor they wore—armor she'd recognize anywhere.

Her heart stuttered.

It… It couldn't _possibly _be—but, then, what were the odds of two men, dressed in Tevinter-style armor common of slavers, talking about an elf wanted by a man named Danarius and a woman named Hadriana, for it to _not _be about who she thought it was?

_ "Exactly why you don't fuck with her. Come on, let's go. Hadriana wanted us back at the caves before dusk—by then we'll know whether they nabbed the elf or if we're gonna have to try again."_

Kagome felt her pulse spike and made her decision then and there. Exhausted or not, this was not a chance she could let slip away—not with Fenris on the line.

Thoughts of the Hanged Man left her as Kagome trailed the two men.

.

.

.

Feeling the mage's neck snap underneath his hands did nothing to sate the bloodlust roaring in his head, burning in his veins—not after the news he was given, the name he'd heard eagerly spilt forth from the mage's lips.

If anything, it only kindled his fury.

_Hadriana…_

Fenris turned away from the body, clenching his fists. "I was a _fool_ to think I was free—they will _never _let me be."

Hawke was returning her staff onto her back as she strode up to him, regarding him in a serious manner. "Someone you're familiar with?"

The question made him laugh. There was no humor in the sound, but only caustic bitterness.

"My old master's apprentice," he answered, before he went on to explain who she was: a cold, cruel, opportunistic shrew of a woman, to name a few things. When Hawke suggested they go after her before she could mount another ambush, Fenris couldn't be more grateful nor more ready.

Anticipation rolled in his belly at the prospect—it had been years since he'd last seen the apprentice, and _oh_, he would _relish_ the reunion.

It was, after all, high time he repaid the generosity Hadriana had shown him under Danarius' rule.

.

.

.

For a short moment as she stood before the mouth of the cave where the two hunters had entered, the rational part of Kagome's mind warred against her—this was a _horrible _idea. Who knew how many people were in there, just waiting to put a blade through her. One person against a den of slavers—of mages and warriors and rogues—spelt an instant death.

But then, who knew how many _slaves _were in there.

Who knew if _Fenris_ was in there.

_Fenris…_

Kagome's grip on her bow tightened, her eyes shuttering.

_"The Qunari—did you know it was custom to leash their mages? Danarius… perhaps he thought it amusing, but he liked to do the same to me, to mock it, them. Me."_

Any reservation she may have had flew out from her mind at the image the memory conjured—of Fenris, caged and leashed like an animal.

She bowed her head, reached up to withdraw an arrow out from her quiver, brought it over to nestle against the string of her bow. _"_Shit," she breathed out, shallow. "_Shit_."

Moving forward, Kagome slipped through the entrance.

* * *

_so how was it? hope you guys like it! things are finally coming to a head! ^^_

_now, announcements! _

_if interested, you can find the link to that timeline i was talking about earlier on my profile! it also includes current ages for some of the other characters that have shown up. _

_more (a LOT more) amazing art has been created since the last update—beautiful-phantom, miniroonie, and kagomes-lover have all struck again. (please check them all out and praise their hard work, these guys are absolutely amazing and way too generous omg)_

_AND beautiful-phantom also drew a fenkag doodle, to which inspired me to post a scrapped scene i had written for their reunion._

_AND there are a couple of other goodies I posted in my ttlg tag on my tumblr, such as a picture of what imagine shippo's armor to be, face claims for kagome and fenris, and my rough attempt at a DA2 in-game version of kagome lmao._

_links for everything will be on my profile! till next time guys!_

**_EDIT: FFN broke all outgoing links on all profiles, so all those links? no good. i've already posted a notice on my profile (which will take like 20 mins or so to take effect) but if you're interested in checking out the fanart and all that jazz, i copied all the links on my profile and made a page for them on my blog. SO, just type in the following link since copy/paste doesn't work here:_**

**_zefyre. tumblr. c-o-m/directory _**

**_without all the spaces and dashes to find the page with actual, working links and go from there. sorry guys! :c_**

_rainlily^^_


	7. Part VII

_**aaah i meant to put this in earlier, but warning for gore (just a bit?)**_

Part VII

"This is it."

His fists flexing at his sides, Fenris glared at the entrance to the cave, ready to pull the sword from his back should the need arise.

_Hadriana_.

His bare toes curled into the sand, the name conjuring a flash of a cold blue gaze in his mind—he could remember the cruelty, the vicious glee as she taunted and tormented him time after time which glinted in her eyes with such clear ease, as if they were steel itself.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't feel the slightest amount of the very same glee at the thought of repaying Hadriana for her… _hospitality_, all those years.

Fenris moved, stalking towards the entry. He had only taken three steps forward before someone was calling him back.

"Wait a second, Fenris."

Hawke's call was a quiet one, but questioning and insistent. It had him pausing, only the slight turn of his head indication that he had heard her request.

Slowly, he exhaled, the air passing through his teeth with a soft hiss. "We must be careful," he told them after a moment, still staring hard at the entrance. "These caves were designed to protect against raids by fellow slavers. No doubt why Hadriana had chosen them in the first place." Finally, he looked over his shoulder, taking in each of his friends' faces—Hawke's carefully blank expression; Isabela's uncharacteristically serious; Varric's watchful gaze.

He could detect neither protest nor reluctance for the fight he was about to lead them into, and he felt indebted toward them for the fact.

_Perhaps this is a sign,_ the elf thought as he turned back to the caves. _For Hadriana to come… Does this mean Danarius is close behind?_

If so, then this would also be a test. To face Hadriana and win would propose that he was that much closer for when he faced _him_ again and finish this once and for all. It meant he'd be that much closer to being ready to do so.

Hawke nodded and gestured towards the caves. "Hadriana won't escape us," the mage promised him, and the small smile she gave him was confident and encouraging—though it was not by much, Fenris breathed easier at the sight of it, her reassurance, her loyalty, somewhat a balm on his fraying temper. "We'll follow your lead, Fenris."

Grateful, Fenris returned her nod and started for the entrance once more. "Let's hope this isn't a waste of time…" he muttered.

.

.

.

If she had the chance, the time, the opportunity to, and it wouldn't get her killed—Kagome would laugh at how quickly things turned to shit.

Upon entering the caves, it became apparent that they weren't like the usual tunnels she'd ventured into before; these were more sophisticated, more structured, not unlike those of the deep roads. Caves such as these meant the traps were just as advanced. It would be pressure plates that she'd need to watch out for here, not tripwires.

The hall was clear of any guards or slavers; only a door at the other end had greeted her, and upon further inspection, there was another leading out to the left. She took the one closest to her, the latter—was intent on slipping through and keeping to the shadows as long as she possibly could.

When the door locked automatically behind her the moment it shut, however, it was then that Kagome began to feel the uneasy impression that it was only the first of many things that would happen to her.

Still, she forged on towards the next room.

Two guards waited for her, both human—a female warrior and a male rogue that were easily dispatched with them being too distracted talking to each other and their backs facing her to notice as she strung her arrows and released them. The rogue was the first to die, with an arrow neatly severing his spine at the back of his neck. The warrior, too slow to react, was swiftly next.

Closing her eyes, Kagome gave a shuttering exhale. After a moment, she crossed the room towards the next door.

Not once did she glance at the two she killed with barely a breath of hesitation.

The next room was empty with only a couple of pressure plates to obstruct her path, which took only minutes to disable. It was past the door _after_ that had posed a greater problem—as half a dozen undead and a mage patrolled the corridor leading to the next room.

Immediately, they noticed her entrance.

"_Shit_."

.

.

.

"Everything all right there Broody?"

At Varric's voice, Fenris paused in his pacing. They were waiting for Hawke and Isabela to finish looting the corpses and find the key to the next room, the dwarf content to remain stationary as he leaned against a column and watched the other man attempt to wear a hole in the ground. "Do you honestly expect an answer other than 'no'?" the elf wondered, truly curious.

After all, they _were_ in a cave potentially holding the apprentice of his once-master. After said apprentice launched an ambush in an attempt to capture and drag him back to Tevinter.

Varric shrugged. "I was hoping you'd surprise me. Guess not." He straightened his posture, pushing away from the column he was relaxing against and drew nearer. "But more seriously, I don't quite like that look on your face; the murderous, angry part—that's fine. It's the touch of confusion that's worrying me."

"It's just…" The warrior trailed off, eyeing the dead slavers that lay feet away. His shoulders slumped, and he reached up the thumb the bridge of his nose. "I expected… _more_ ," he murmured, pensive. "More resistance, and stronger at that…"

"Hey!" Isabela straightened as she turned to face him, a hand curled on her hip while the other, which still held a small pouch—of pebbles, most likely—wagged a finger in his direction. "Maybe we're just that good."

Fenris snorted. Could it be so? The thought _had_ occurred to him, but it seemed presumptuous; that, after all these years and all the hunters he had cut down, Hadriana would not be foolish enough to mount an ambush that was so… meager and halfhearted as it seemed to be.

"Perhaps," he eventually allowed as he shook his head, but he was not entirely convinced. Maybe, with the others fighting with him, it was not as difficult as he had first expected it to be but it should not be _this_ easy.

Something, whatever it was, felt off.

.

.

.

Sneaking in was all well and good, but Kagome ran into a small issue with keeping to the plan that came in the form of what looked to be about a dozen slaves, nearly half of them already dead.

The rest were huddled together on their knees, their fear apparent in the width of their eyes and the trembling forms; one of them, a young girl just barely into her adult years if even, had her clasped hands pressed against her breastbone, crying out and in tears just as another elf, an older male, was dragged up in the air by some unseen force.

Kagome's stomach turned at the unnatural sight he made—back bent in a sharp arch, head thrown back with his mouth open and eyes blown wide.

An ominous aura snaked out and washed over the miko, familiar and murky. Though all magic had an aura that reminded Kagome of… of ozone, in a way, sharp, somewhat metallic, and dangerous—each type also possessed its own unique signature to distinguish between them; blood magic itself had a darker, headier feel to it. Often it was tinged with hints of a sinister nature, a reflection of the caster's intent.

She felt her skin prickle as she recognized the magic, this particular brand of casting sending the fine hairs at the nape of her neck rising in turn.

_Blood sacrifice._

Hastily, Kagome threw up a barrier that encompassed those that still lived and shot an arrow at the nearest slaver. They went down with a thud just as the elf was released from the spell holding him up, startled gasps and shouts rippling through them all.

_"What?!"_ came a furious screech, though from whom Kagome couldn't be certain—the ground around her began to boil and smoke, clouding the air as demons surged from the floor—"They're here already?! Retreat, retreat, I do not have enough!"

From behind the demons, Kagome could see people slipping through the door on the other side of room and disappearing, leaving only a couple of fighters and a mage behind.

_They?_ Was Kagome's first thought, before she quickly realized.

_There're more slaves._

Panicking, Kagome took her bow and sliced the air with it at the demons, purifying energy pulsing from the weapon in an arc that decimated the summoned creatures within seconds. The attack left her panting, feeling the steep drop of energy it had cost her.

It worked to her advantage, however; the slavers left behind staggered to a stop in their shock, never having seen such a thing before. Kagome managed to take out the warrior with an arrow thanks to the distraction, before the rogue and mage were spurred back into action and she had to trade her bow for her daggers.

Dispatching them took longer than Kagome liked, and she fretted to think what the time had cost—how many more lives would be sacrificed before she could get to them.

Sheathing her blades, Kagome strode towards the remaining captives, a limp to her step courtesy of the rogue slipping through her guard earlier. Most of her injuries since then had been shallow cuts save for a few, but the woman had managed to get a hit in on her left leg's outer thigh that was deep enough to be debilitating if left unfixed.

By the looks and feel of it, the one poultice she had left would probably only heal it partially—not exactly what she'd prefer, but at least it wouldn't hinder her ability to fight then.

Pushing the hood of her cloak away from her face, she allowed the barrier to fall as she approached the captives. She felt the energy it took to hold it slowly flowing back to her and she exhaled lightly in relief, trying to ignore the half dozen pairs of eyes that watched her in a variation of fear and apprehension.

"T-thank you," the young elven girl from earlier wept as Kagome paused before them, holding tightly to the man who had almost been sacrificed.

Said man was wet with sweat and breathing laboriously, but looked to be otherwise alive and unharmed. But blood magic sacrifices, Kagome knew, begun with internal damage.

"Y-you saved Papa." Trembling, the young woman looked over to what fate awaited her father had Kagome not come in time, face ashen.

The miko followed her gaze and nearly gagged at the sight that greeted her, swallowing back the revulsion and the bile it threatened to bring with it.

She had seen the bodies upon first entering the room, but was not close enough to see the specifics—empty eyes, tangled limbs, and cuts so jagged and deep carved into skin and even bone that viscera had actually spilled out onto the floor.

Emptied of the blood needed for the sacrifices, the bodies were left in a pile as if they were trash tossed to the side and it made Kagome equal parts disgusted and _furious_.

"I—I don't know why Master did this, we tried to be good!" The blatant dismay in the young woman's voice had the archer's eyes shifting away from the bodies to find wide, watery green eyes boring straight into her. "We did everything we were told, but…" The elf's thin frame gave a shudder, her head shaking in confusion.

Though not all, Kagome felt some of her fury ebb. "Oh, sweetheart," she whispered, somber and sympathetic, and gradually turned to take in the rest of them.

Most were dressed in the same plain clothing of ill-fitting tunics and trousers, but the girl, her father, and another were dressed a little better, and were cleaner as well. Most were elves but a lone a human woman completed the group. "Are… are all of you slaves?" she quietly asked, bringing her pack over to the front to begin digging into it.

All save the girl and another elf, a woman perhaps only a couple decades older with pale brown hair streaked with silver, shook their heads.

"Gods," Kagome muttered, carefully pulling out three health potions—the rest of her stores. There was no time to heal the girl's father with the others in danger, but the potions would heal the damage just as well. "Alright, I can't stay but I will come back, okay? There… there are others that need help, I think." Gently, she pressed all but one vial into the girl's hand, preserving the last for herself knowing she'd likely need it soon.

"Give this to him and he should be alright," she instructed, slipping her own vial into the pouch at her hip before reaching back into her pack for her last health poultice and a couple strips of cloth.

The girl nodded quickly through her tears, thanking her profusely before starting to do so. As she did, Kagome made quick work taking care of her own injury, swiping the blood from the wound before pouring the mixture straight it.

It drew a hiss from her, the poultice stinging sharply as its healing took effect. After a moment she checked it once the stinging had settled, clicking her tongue in irritation when she found it didn't heal as much as she thought it would.

Shifting, she tested her weight on her leg before she sighed and begun wrapping it with the clean strip of cloth. It didn't hurt as much at least, and what with the current predicament she was in she knew to count her blessings when they came.

"Are you our new master?" the older elf, the one who was also a slave, tentatively interrupted with a rasping whisper just as she finished tying up the bandage.

"No," Kagome said with a quick but firm shake of her head, readjusting her pack before taking up her bow once more. "You guys are all free now. You can leave now if you want, but the way I came through is blocked and I'm not sure the other way out, wherever it is, is safe," she said, glancing over at the only door still shut in the room. "If you want to wait, I'll be sure to escort you to Kirkwall—the nearest city."

"You're going after them alone?" a young, male elf asked, blond, skin and bones, and incredulous.

Kagome nodded shortly. He couldn't be older than twenty, she noted, and the fact he was _this _close to becoming slave rekindled the miko's anger. "You heard her—there are others, like you, aren't there?"

The blond shook his head at her, staring at her in total disbelief. "Yes, but… these… these people, they're _strong_. This _magister_," he spat the word with vitriol, "You should have seen her and the other mages _bleed_ everyone else for—for _power!_ All because _she_ thought someone was coming after them. Going after them alone is—is insane! And stupid! You'll die for sure!"

"Wait, someone?" Kagome repeated, the remark throwing her off. But who would… She paused, hope catching fire in her chest. _Fenris…?_

Confused, she shook her head. "D-did any of you guys happen to see another elf?" she hastily asked, fighting to remain calm. Did that mean the ambush had failed and he was still free? "He has white hair, he'd… he'd probably be in armor?"

When the answer she got was no, Kagome couldn't help the wave of relief that washed over her. That meant Fenris at least would be safe.

But the others …

_Maybe it **is **stupid; hell, coming into these caves was a horrible idea from the start. But I saved you guys, and if it means I can save a few more from becoming slaves or even worse, **sacrifices**… then screw it, I'll do it._

_Someone has to._

The thought sobering her, Kagome steeled herself and reached over to slip an arrow from her quiver, and quietly told the others to stay safe.

_Just three more to go, at least._

She was tired, and aching, and had only so much energy left to fight against magic and demons, but if she was smart about it she _might _just scrape out of this alive and with all her limbs accounted for.

When it looked like the blond elf was about to protest once more, she stopped him before he could start. "I can't just leave them to die if I can help it," she said softly, watched as his face fell and gave way to shock, and then she left in the direction the magister and two slavers had gone.

She was not done fighting just yet.

.

.

.

"It's quiet," Fenris heard Varric mutter as he worked on the trap blocking them from going through the exit. With each room they cleared, the closer they inevitably became to confronting Hadriana, he felt further vindicated in his feelings of how _wrong_ something was, and now he wasn't the only who felt it either. "_Too_ quiet. I don't like this."

"What's not to like? Less people for us to cut through. _I'm_ all for less work!" Isabela cut in as she came to join them, finished with the usual round of looting. Hawke trailed behind her, scanning the room.

"It's more _how_ there's less work that concerns me," Varric insisted, pausing in disabling the trap to look up at them. "Two rooms we come through to find out they've been cleared for us."

"Maybe their demons turned on them?" Isabela's voice sounded disconcerted. "Or they disturbed some undead that were waiting around. It's happened before."

"Sure," Hawke said flippantly, a grim quality to her voice. "It's possible. Except there are no signs of either surviving."

"And it doesn't explain why the corpses that _were_ left behind all had arrows in them," Fenris griped as the two approached.

"I know that," Isabela bit out, coming to a stop before them. "_Balls_. You guys just can't let a girl hope, can you?" She shuffled between each foot. "So, what? We've got an ally?"

Fenris snorted. "Or someone trying to steal the slaves as I said before."

"We'll find out soon," Hawke murmured, just as they heard the click of the trap disabling.

Varric stood and dusted himself off, gesturing to the door. "Warriors first."

Fenris rolled his eyes and shouldered the door open, leading them into a small chamber with a door on each side and almost walking face first into a fireball if not for Hawke's barrier blocking the spell.

Spitting a curse under his breath, Fenris' markings lit up as he phased through the barrier and the remaining flames to run down the slaver closest to him—a rogue, and a startled one at that upon seeing the blade impaled through his gut so suddenly before the life flickered out from his eyes.

With a short grunt, Fenris yanked his sword out and turned to the remaining slaver—as fortune would have it, the mage.

One look at Fenris' face, however, had the woman throwing up a barrier and turning tail, escaping through the door closest to her.

Snarling, Fenris and the others gave chase, following the woman down a short hall into the next chamber connected to it. Alarmed shouts reached his ears, and his heartbeat quickened along with his steps.

They entered the room just in time to see three elves and a human in the usual cloths of a slave backed against a wall, another two doing their best to drag an unconscious elven man away from the mage. The mage herself had her hand held up in the air at them, a red mist gathered and swirling around her arm.

The youngest of the three elves, a girl in her teens, was scarcely even lifted from the ground before a bolt had found its home in the back of the mage's head and the woman crumpled into a heap.

Fenris glanced back at Varric to see him giving a grim nod, before he was quickly approaching the three elves on the ground. "Are you alright?" he asked quickly, looking them over. "Are any of you hurt?"

They all shook their heads no.

"You're here to help?" the blond young man beside the girl asked. When Fenris nodded, he relaxed, as well as the others against the wall. "Thank Andraste…"

The sole human of the group, a young brunette, stepped up. "Is… Is the way clear? To leave?" Tears built up in her eyes, her lips trembling. "I just want to go home…"

"You mean you aren't slaves?" Hawke asked, confused. The woman shook her head tremulously.

The elven young man closest to them snorted. "Only Orana here," he gestured to the girl beside him, the one that almost became a blood sacrifice, "her father, and Dera back there," he nodded first to the man Orana's small, shaking hands clutched at, and then to an older elven woman who was watching them silently, "are slaves. The rest of us, along with most of the others, were only captured or _tricked into being sold_ just recently," he explained, spitting that last part, anger coloring his tone and clouding his face.

"Illen…" one of the elves against the wall whispered, "It's over," and the blond turned slightly—after a moment, he pursed his lips, his eyes falling to the ground as he shrugged, conceding.

"Yeah, yeah…" Illen muttered under his breath, his fury ebbing away, "I know."

"Well," Varric chimed in, breaking the tension, "if you guys wanna head out, don't let us stop you." He gestured to the door they went through. "Just follow the trail of dead bodies and you should be all right."

That seemed to be just what they were waiting for, as all but Orana, her father, Dera, and Illen had remained; the rest exclaimed their thanks and praises to the Maker before rushing out, eager to leave this place and their brush with slavery behind.

Shaking her head, Hawke turned back to the four that remained. "The magister? Is she still here?"

Dera, who moved away from the wall to approach Orana as the others had left, nodded. "She should be," she murmured, her voice raspy. "If nothing else, then the other woman that came by should have waylaid her."

That had Hawke and the others pausing. "Woman?" the mage repeated, confused. "So, there _was_ someone else here…"

"S-she saved Papa," Orana finally broke in, still trembling, hands fisting her father's tunic even tighter. "The magister—she was about to—about to…" She trailed off with a shudder, shaking her head rapidly. "She came in just as the magister was about to bleed Papa, scared them off. We—we would have been next. She loved Papa's soup! I don't understand why…"

Dera rubbed a comforting hand over Orana's back, shushing her softly. "The magister was, is, frightened," the older woman said after a moment, peering up at them solemnly. "Especially when the woman interrupted the ritual. Whoever the magister believes is coming after her, she does not think she is strong enough to face them without…"

Fenris' gaze fell to the ground as Dera's voice trailed off into meaningful silence, and he clenched his eyes shut.

"She went after them alone," Illen cut in, looking up at the four. "I told her it was stupid—her against that magister and her people?" He scoffed, harsh and bitter. "But she _insisted_—said that the other captives and slaves were still in danger and she couldn't—couldn't just let them die. So she just gave Orana's father some potions and told us to wait here so she could escort us back."

At his side his fists clenched and Illen gave them a beseeching look. "Please—you guys look strong, and there's four of you. You can help her before she gets killed." He exhaled loudly, his gaze falling to the ground as he shook his head. "I'd… I'd like to help, to say thanks, but…" He gave a frustrated shrug.

"Don't worry about it," Hawke murmured kindly. "We'll take care of it. You guys should get out of here too, just in case."

"But… but, where?" Orana whispered, "Where can we go?" She looked up at them, green eyes wide and imploring, tremulous as they moved between the four of them. "I can cook," she hastened to offer, "A-and clean… And Papa, he's a much better cook than me. He can even bake, too! Dera's very good at gardening. Please, I don't…" Her gaze fell, lithe fingers curling tighter into her father's shirt, her voice dropping to a tiny, vulnerable whisper. "I don't know what else we can do…"

Hawke bit her lip, rolling on the balls of her heels and sharing a look with the others—the only advice any of them gave being a helpless shrug—before she sighed heavily and made her offer. "Look," she said, stepping forward, "How about this. If you guys go to Kirkwall, I can help you out."

Fenris' felt his neck crack, his head snapped over so fast.

Orana seemed to sag in relief and Dera sighed as well. "You will? Oh, thank the Maker…"

"I didn't know you were in the market for slaves, Hawke," Fenris growled, advancing towards the mage.

Said mage looked at him as if he'd gone insane—he managed to catch a glint of hurt in her grey eyes before she had lifted her chin and stared squarely back at him.

Behind her, Varric had palmed his face, shaking his head, and Isabela cocked an eyebrow at him, unimpressed. But it was Hawke's voice that resonated most with him, slow and soft and _disappointed_, a tone he'd heard few times before and it still cut into him with ease as she spoke in it.

"I'm offering them a _job_, Fenris."

His eyes widened before they quickly closed.

_Damn._

"I…" Words failed him then, the shame hot on his cheeks also burning whatever reply he had prepared, any excuse he 'd thought to give, because that was what they'd all just be—excuses. It was his temper that got the better of him, that had him jumping to conclusions when he should have paused and gave thought, and nothing else.

Hawke, of all people, was undeserving of such an accusation.

"I see," he demurred instead, gaze slipping to the ground.

He heard Hawke sigh, the whisper-shuffle of her booted feet scuffing against the ground, before she spoke again. This time, her voice was softer and weary, and with that he knew she was letting him off the hook. Something, he knew, he did not deserve.

"We should keep moving."

Fenris nodded but said nothing, following her and the others as they crossed the room.

Just before they could go through the door, however, Illen called out to them.

"Wait!" They turned and found Illen staring directly at Fenris. "The… the woman who helped us? I think she came looking for someone. She asked us if we've seen an elf—with white hair and wearing armor. Maybe it's nothing, but…" The young man shrugged. "You're the first white-haired, armored elf I've seen all week."

Fenris felt it as the others turn their stares onto him.

.

.

.

Just as Kagome thought, a wretched feeling tearing itself through her chest, she was too late to prevent any more deaths.

By the time she'd caught up to the magister, having had to take care of her remaining men, two rogue-assassins and the few undead she left to delay the miko, the mage was well into sacrificing her third victim—Kagome had burst into the room just as the drained body dropped to the ground.

_Damn it_. Kagome threw up a barrier around those that remained, cursing as tears prickled her eyes. _Too late. Damn it_.

The magister whirled to face her, but what she saw clearly wasn't what she was expected. If anything, she seemed… _pleased_. Relieved, even.

"Oh, now what have we here," the mage drawled, painted lips curling into a cruel, wicked smirk. Soft footsteps echoed as she stalked towards the weary miko. "A little lost lamb separated from her herd? How… fortuitous."

Kagome's fingers tightened around the wood of her bow, her eyebrows furrowing. "What?"

The woman canted her head to the side, appraising. The way her blue eyes roved up and down her, it felt predatory and it left Kagome unsettled, made her wonder if she had the strength, the power to back up her behavior or if it was arrogance.

"Oh? So you're to tell me you're not with _him_?" she asked, curiosity lining her tone, and her blue eyes trailed over to the weapon in Kagome's hands. "No… I don't recall any of his female companions being an archer. You _are_ the one who interrupted me earlier, however. A treasure hunter, then?" The mage chuckled, slow and dark, a slinking sort of sound. "Oh my, I'm afraid you've stumbled into the wrong den alone."

Kagome's eyes narrowed. _Is she… talking about Fenris?_ Lifting her chin, she allowed her grip on her bow to shift, preparing to grab an arrow from her quiver. "No, I'm just a friend."

The woman blinked, her forehead wrinkling. "A friend?"

Kagome's lips curled into a deadly smirk of her own. "You work with Danarius, yes?" she inquired, just to make sure.

The mage tensed, the predatory expression on her face slipping as apprehension bled into its edges. "You know of my mentor."

Kagome paused, her smirk fading. _Mentor._ "So _you're_ Hadriana?" she ventured faintly. Anger began to flicker under her skin once more and with it she felt her fatigue burn away.

_"Sometimes I wondered who I hated more—Danarius, of course, but there were times... There were times I believed Hadriana to be worst. Perhaps because she would intrude on my reprieve, because she... as one would say, poured salt in an already sweltering wound."_

Kagome was not lying when she said she felt compelled to continue her pursuit of this magister to save the innocent people her and her soldiers had captured, but that wasn't the _entire _truth.

Fenris had only told her a few stories of Hadriana, the apprentice his old master took on when he was a slave, but it was enough.

And it was enough to want the head of the woman herself.

The mage's eyes grew wide upon hearing her name from the archer's lips. "Who _are you?_" she demanded, her fists beginning to glow.

Perhaps she didn't find Fenris himself; saving the sacrifices at least made sure that her venture into this cave wasn't a total loss, but this, _her_, made it a victory.

"A friend," Kagome repeated, harsh, and she felt her lips curl once more, felt as the cut across her cheek stretched and sting because of it. And idly, she wondered if the smirk looked as threatening as she _really _hoped it to be. "Of _Fenris_'_._"

.

.

.

"Sure are popular today, Broody."

Fenris sighed, eyes shuttering in annoyance, not breaking his stride to look at the dwarf currently pestering him as they briskly crossed the corridor. "I don't know what you're talking about, Varric."

"So, what, you're saying this mysterious lady doesn't ring _any_ bells? You're _sure_?"

"No," the warrior griped, "It doesn't. As I already said before."

_Kagome does_, came the traitorous thought, insane as it was seeing as _Kagome was dead_.

"An armored, white-haired elf isn't exactly much to go on," Hawke said, for once the reasonable one, their earlier confrontation seemingly put behind them. She was a much better person than him when it came to such things, Fenris thought as he voiced his agreement via a grunt, and he was sure he didn't deserve it. "Plenty of people can fit that description. Mostly older people, sure, but still."

"Mm, if anyone was looking for Fenris, surely the first thing they'd go with is his markings," Isabela chimed in with a drawl. "That Fenris _could_ match whoever this woman looking for is just coincidence."

Varric grumbled, not convinced. "Lot of coincidences today," he pointed out, sounding suspicious. "Lady comes in arrows flying looking for a 'white-haired elf in armor' the same day just before a _white-haired elf in armor_ comes strolling in to confront the Tevinter magister _after said white-haired elf in armor_. But sure, let's just ignore _any_ possibility that it could all be connected."

"Gladly," Fenris groused as they reached the next door, pushing it open with a little more force than necessary.

What greeted them was another four-way chamber containing the bodies of two slavers and undead, some littered with arrows and others with deeps slices.

"She's efficient, you gotta give her that," Isabela mused, giving a slow whistle.

"Let's just hope she's still alive," Hawke remarked quietly, observing the bodies.

"Hear that?" Varric said, stepping closer the door on the opposite side of the room. Listening closer, they could hear the dying shrieks of demons and even fainter, the sound of voices. "Sounds like she is."

"Let's go before that changes, then," Hawke urged.

Just as they started for the door, a livid shriek filled the air.

.

.

.

Kagome threw her hands up, her bow slicing the air as an angry cry left her lips—pink light flickered and pulsed out in a wave. She may have been out of arrows, but arrows weren't exactly necessary when it came to demons. Three rage demons and two shades all fell to dust and the sound of Hadriana's fearful gasp was like music to her ears.

"Call as many demons as you wish," the miko snarled, glaring, her eyes like flames as she traded her bow for her daggers. Fatigue was beginning to wear on her once more but Kagome ignored it with ease. _For Fenris_. "You'll find they'll be no help to you here."

A wild scream tore from Hadriana's lips and Kagome felt the surge of magic before the floor around her quavered, knocking her off balance. Just as she caught herself by the palms, both her blades skittering away from reach, the surface broke open and bodies began to rise with jerky movements.

Kagome grunted, annoyed. "Undead," she muttered under her breath. Demons she could turn to ash with very little effort. Undead, unfortunately, were something that she discovered needed to be taken care of like any other living foe the first time she stumbled into a cave of them years ago.

Hadriana panted heavily but she was grinning triumphantly, a wild look to her eyes.

The miko glared and was about to push herself up from the ground when suddenly, they heard the door slam open.

Their heads snapped over towards the noise, and the triumph sluiced off from the mage's face like water; instead she looked pale and stricken as a party of four ran in to join them, weapons at the ready and a familiar elf in the lead, glowing and pulsing angrily.

The sight of the fallen archer on the ground had them all reeling to a stop, however, and Kagome felt her breath become stolen at the sight of _him_.

"Fenris…"

* * *

aaah! and finally, after almost three long years, (and like five long chapters) they finally see each other once more! (thank fucking god lmao)

but the fight isn't over yet! (cue ominous laughter)

haha, anyway, anyone ever play da2 with the face morph ageing mods? that changed some of the characters looks when you progressed into the next act? bc i diiiid. lmao. i found one for orana that had her much younger when you meet her in act 2, and idk, i kinda felt it more fitting? i just liked the idea of orana being really young then, like a teenager, so in here she's say.. 16/17 ish.

and i also have a couple announcements here-namely, more fanart! lmao, kagomes-lover and beautiful-phantom both drew some amazing pieces that you guys should definitely check out! since outgoing links are still down here on ffn profiles, please head over to zefyre. tumblr. c-o-m/directory for the links on where to go (they'll be marked new!)

i think that's it? (i hope that's it lmao) thanks for the reviews last chapter everyone, it means a lot! and i really hope you all enjoyed this chapter! :D


	8. Part VIII

_i'd like to take the time and say, **thank you so much **to everyone that reviewed! last chapter got a bunch more than usual which was a lovely surprise haha. i loved reading all of your reactions to these two dorks finally seeing each other again!_

* * *

Part VIII

To say that Fenris expected the sight that greeted them upon their entrance would be a complete and utter _lie_.

Though the sounds of fighting already had them hurrying, it was the scream that had them barreling in. Fenris had recognized the voice instantly, panic and fury both gripping his heart with fingers icy to the touch.

Whoever it was fighting Hadriana, Fenris did not _care _—only one person would be taking that witch's life and it was _him_.

But when he shoved the door open and strode inside blade at the ready, Fenris could only reel to a stop and _stare_. There, surrounded by about a dozen undead and crumpled to the floor was a small woman gaping back at him.

A small woman who was _supposed _to be _dead_.

He felt it, as his heart stuttered to a stop when her eyes locked with his: a familiar deep blue-grey that had haunted his dreams for days and months and years to no seeable end. Pink lips moved to shape his name, the sound of it by a voice he hadn't heard for_ so_ long, a voice he had not been aware just how _keenly _he missed the sound of, pulling from him a ragged, wrecked gasp that left him weak in the knees and had his companions turning to him in shock.

"_Kagome…_"

.

.

.

It felt like time had slowed to a stop as she and Fenris stared, too stunned for words as they drank the other in.

_You're here_, she numbly thought, scarcely able to believe. Her chest felt—tight, as if all breath had been siphoned out from her with just… a single glance of white hair and green eyes, and all she knew next was the roaring tempo of her pounding heart.

_I… actually found you…_

But time, in fact, did not stop, and when Kagome registered the unique sounding groan that could only belong from the undead, she quickly realized it was also a _terrible _time for a reunion.

Reinvigorated by the turn of events, the miko leapt to her feet with a war cry and tackled the undead closest to her, ramming her shoulder into its rotting, meaty chest and choking back a gag at the rancid smell of decay that assaulted her in turn. As they tumbled to the ground, the decrepit longsword it wielded fell from its hand and clattered to the floor.

Pushing away, she rolled and scooped the blade into her hands and pushed off from the ground. Putting all her weight behind the strike, she decapitated the next undead within reach and used the momentum of the swing to carry over and sweep through the other one she had tackled just as it'd clambered to its feet.

A familiar roar came from behind, and despite her exhaustion and how her arms trembled and her legs threatened to buckle beneath her she felt her lips twitch, a smile coming to life as her eyes began to sting.

_Fenris, _came the warm thought, and she couldn't help the soft laugh she huffed under her breath.

But now was not the time to celebrate. Not when she was still surrounded.

With a deep, steadying breath, Kagome jumped back into the fray with a wide swing directed at her next opponent. Pushing past the corpse as it stumbled and dropped to the floor dead once more, she swooped down to collect her dagger with her free hand and readied herself for the next undead.

She darted back just in time to dodge a warrior corpse lunging at her with a jerky swipe of its own greatsword, only to freeze when her back met another.

Despite how long it had been since she'd last seen him, Kagome still recognized Fenris with ease: the sculptured feel of his armored back pressed against hers; how the air sung in time with the pulsing of his markings; the sound of his sharp, measured breaths; even the scent of his armor polish underlying that of sweat.

And for a moment it… it felt like it was only yesterday that they were on the road together, fighting off bandits or a group of hunters or those gods be damned spiders again.

"You should rest," she heard the man himself rasp from under his breath, and Kagome allowed herself a bit to let his voice wash over her. Her eyes fluttered shut as she basked in the familiarity, unable to help it as her lips curled in response. "You are injured. We can take care of this."

The idea was… tempting. Coming into these holding caves alone was a bad idea—that she knew the moment it was too late for her to turn back, and the injuries she procured from the stunt itself were testament enough. Many were superficial, but one of the rogue-assassins from the last room had gotten a couple of pretty good hits in that even with her last health potion, they'd yet to fully close either.

She had been lucky in the beginning, to be truthful; striking from the shadows and the few stamina potions she kept helped to stave off the fatigue from traveling and fighting nearly all day. It was the last few fights that had really worn at her, her movements becoming slower and slower as a result, the hits becoming harder to dodge and getting progressively worse when she couldn't. But…

Just the thought of Fenris being captured and imprisoned somewhere in here, ready to be dragged to back to Tevinter in chains…

She _couldn't _have waited, not if there was even a _chance _he was in here. Waiting was not an option.

Resting, too, was not an option either.

So Kagome gave him a grin and laughed. "I've had worse," she reminded him, keeping her voice light. "Rest can wait until _after _we put this magister in the ground." And with that, she leapt forward and swung.

The sound that worked out from Fenris' throat was purely exasperated and so familiar that Kagome would've laughed if she wasn't too busy trying to kill an undead. His tattoos flared as he quickly stepped forward to slash at his own opponent, "What are you even _doing _here?"

"Oh, you know," she huffed in reply, as flippantly as one could manage whilst whirling out of the way of an incoming jab of a longsword, "Overheard a couple of hunters earlier—something about a bounty, an elf, and Danarius. Followed them here." Plunging her stolen blade into her opponent's chest, Kagome used her foot to push it off and went on to the next one. "Had to make sure…" she trailed off as she ducked a swing, using the momentum to pivot on her feet, grasp the arm attached to the offending weapon, and throw the corpse into another nearby. Without pause, she sunk her sword into them both.

"Make sure of what?" she heard Fenris ask as she yanked the blade out. Then came a grunt, and Kagome glanced over her shoulder to find him rearing his sword up high into the air before bringing it down hard, decapitating his opponent with one deft swing and then moving on to the next one closest.

A noise to her front had her twisting back just in time to see a flash of corroded metal, and with a grunt of her own she parried another oncoming strike, arms screaming with the effort to knock it away. Leaping back, she took a few quick breaths before answering. "That they didn't have you."

Fenris became quiet after that, so much so that Kagome chanced another glance over her shoulder only to find him staring right back at her, his eyes two burning, unfathomable depths that sent shivers down her spine. The muscle of his jaw twitched under the strain of his clenched teeth, the grip on his sword becoming tight-knuckled.

A whistle broke their staring as a bolt swept by Kagome, nearly catching her hair, and buried itself in the forehead of an oncoming corpse to their side. They turned and dumbly stared as it fell to the ground, dead.

A click and whirr had them turning back around to the opposite direction to find a dwarf loading a rather sophisticated looking crossbow. "I'd advise less flirting and more fighting," the blond drawled, lips quirking in a lopsided smirk. Palming a hand into his jacket, he pulled out a wicked looking dagger—dark metal curved and _sharp_—and tossed it to Kagome. "You look like more of a dagger type than a sword."

Kagome let the sword drop to the ground and caught the short blade, twirling it between her fingers to test its weight. "Appreciate it," she said with a genuinely grateful smile.

Varric nodded with a grunt.

Just then, Fenris' markings flickered and burned bright and Kagome felt a tingle in the back of her head.

"She's calling more demons," they chorused before sharing a startled look.

Varric looked between the two and slowly shook his head. "_That's _not weird or anything."

Kagome snorted and turned back to the blood mage. Calling forth her abilities, she began to charge, her once forgotten fury returning at the sight of the summoning circles lighting up the ground and the burning forms surging up from within. "Didn't I already tell you?" she snarled, daggers leveled in front of her. "Demons won't help you here!"

"She glows too?" came a female voice.

"What do you know," came another, different from the first, "A matching set—two short glowsticks of rage!"

An angry cry left Hadriana's painted red lips as the rage demons she tried to summon died before they could even move forward as Kagome swung her blades and a pulse of purification blew outward, turning them to dust.

"I can see why he likes her."

Kagome heard Fenris snarl. "Didn't you say less talking?"

Ducking her head, she tried not to grin; instead, she gave a harsh huff as she darted back his side fight the undead and quickly uttered, "I don't think I'll be able to do another one of those for a while."

"After that, I doubt think she'll be summoning more demons anyway," Fenris grunted, almost sounding wry as he cut down the undead before him and turned to another quickly thereafter.

He was right, as Hadriana instead resorted to raising more undead.

"_Really?_" A groan came from across the room, via the duel-dagger wielding brunette in the blue headscarf. "_More _undead?"

Kagome agreed with that sentiment wholeheartedly as she stabbed the one in front of her, and would have voiced it if not for the large spike of ice she noticed coming straight for them. The barrier she threw up would only stall it—knew that with the energy it took to hold up the one still protecting the innocent captives, with how low her stores already were, she didn't have enough to hold both.

"Fenris, duck!" she shouted just as the spell hit, dropping to her knees as she felt her energy swoop dangerously low with the effort of holding the barrier against it, her head feeling light.

Immediately Fenris followed suit just as the ice shattered her barrier and flew overhead, taking down his own foe for him. With a snarl, he closed their distance to help her to her feet before an oncoming undead could get at her. "It's costing you too much to hold up that other barrier!"

Kagome, panting heavily as she leaned against the elf, shook her head to clear it. "It's… it's the only thing stopping Hadriana from using them," she wheezed, "Or the undead from getting to them."

Cursing, Fenris maneuvered them around to block an incoming strike one-handed, roughly shoving the attacking corpse back as best he could. "Hawke!" he snapped out, an arm still firmly wrapped around the miko's waist to hold her up against his side.

After a beat, the mage answered. "What's up?"

"The slaves! She cannot hold the barrier up for much longer."

"I'm on it!" They heard the roar of fire, then, along with Hawke's laughing, "Take that, suckers!" following directly after before she called out again. "Done and _done_."

Kagome sagged in relief as she let the barrier drop and felt the strain bleed away. "I-I'm good," she murmured, catching the hand that gripped her and squeezing it. The energy she'd used was already trickling back to her, the feeling as good as any stamina draught. "Thanks…"

"Of course," Fenris murmured, catching her gaze in turn for a swift moment. "Are you sure?"

She stared back unflinchingly. "Trust me," was all she said, giving him one more squeeze, this time firmer.

Fenris hesitated no longer than the short beat it took for him to give her a closer look before he returned the gesture and they were pulled into battle once more.

"You know, I'm getting pretty tired of these guys myself!" came Hawke's voice, before suddenly the majority of the undead that remained were dragged together by some unseen pull, the same force lifting them into the air and slamming them into the ground with a mighty crack the next second.

Hadriana's panicked cursing reached their ears, and they looked over to see the mage had backed herself near the wall, throwing up a barrier of her own.

"Kagome," Fenris murmured and with a quick breath, the miko nodded.

The pair broke into a sprint, Fenris covering Kagome as she dragged as much energy she could into her blades, danced around an undead blocking her way, and slammed the pommels against the barrier.

"No!" came Hadriana's stricken gasp as her last means of protections broke away. The mage struck out with her staff at Kagome in retaliation—her staff that the miko noticed too late was bladed at the end.

She hissed as it sliced through the leather of her armor and into her side even as she jumped back to dodge. "_Fuck._"

Taking another two leaps back, her vision swam and her legs almost gave out from under her, only just managing to keep herself upright. _Shit_. A quick inspection of the wound had her dismissing it to be too shallow for immediate concern, knowing either fatigue or distraction would be the likely contenders to do her in before blood loss could.

When Kagome looked up at Hadriana, however, she found the magister to be grinning triumphantly and her fingers, just inches from the blade of her staff, now tipped in blood.

She didn't realize what was happening until the woman had already raised her hand, red mist gathering and swirling around it—Kagome staggered back as her wound was ripped wider and deeper, breath hitching as blood spurted from the now-gash before she went rigid. An odd, false calm washed over her mind, body, and soul despite how her heart tripped and sped in tempo.

_What the fuck, what the fuck, **what the** **fuck**?!_

"Now I remember," Hadriana drawled then, peering between Kagome and Fenris two paces behind her, who had just finished with his opponent, the undead Kagome had dodged, only to turn and freeze upon the sight of Kagome unnaturally still and drenched with blood from the waist down on her right side.

The mage hummed as she looked the miko up and down with curiosity. "Over three years ago… Danarius mentioned our little wolf had a travelling companion: a woman with a bow." She chuckled then, slow and menacingly. "Had to hire more hunters just to take you out specifically."

Fenris growled. Kagome felt similarly inclined.

She also felt _extremely _inclined to stab her as well.

"Last I heard, though," Hadriana mused, her head tilting to the side, "You were _dead_."

Kagome's nostrils flared as she gave a harsh huff. "I got better," she gritted out.

The magister pursed her lips, eyes narrowing as she tutted in return. "I'll be sure to remedy that, don't you worry, but first…' Her face smoothed over as she trailed off, lips curling to form a twisted caricature of a smile too cruel to be the real thing, and raised her hand once more. "But first, why don't you… turn around. Yes, I believe it would be more fitting for your so called _friend _to take care of you."

Kagome's eyes widened when she found her body actually turning to face Fenris against her will. Just as she lifted her gaze to meet his own widened stare, both his panic and fury clear as day, she heard Hadriana speak up once more from behind.

"Isn't that right," taunted the woman, "My little wolf?"

Kagome felt herself snap.

She was already tired and hurting—the mage's attempt of blood control and her monologuing was just adding insult to injury. But to top it all off, she would not _stop _referring Fenris as a _possession_ and _she just couldn't—_

"He's not 'your' _anything!_" Calling forth the very last dregs of her energy, she allowed it to wash over her—instantly, she felt the connection between Hadriana and her blood break. Pink light still sparking along her skin, Kagome whirled around to face the magister. With a snarl, the miko gave into her earlier urge and hurled the blade in her hand, letting it fly just as her legs finally gave out from under her.

As she fell forward to her knees, Kagome gave one last parting shot. "And _I _am not your _plaything_."

.

.

.

A gasp spilled forth from Hadriana's lips as the dagger buried itself into her shoulder, shifting to a pained groan as she staggered from the hit and tripped over the hem of her robes, landing on her behind. Her staff slipped from her fingers and skittered away.

Wasting no time, Fenris strode past Kagome and was advancing the magister in seconds before she could pull another trick from her sleeves.

"No, no, no," Hadriana frantically protested, scurrying back as much as she could as the elf approached her with a thunderous expression on his face, cradling her injured shoulder. She cast a desperate glance at her staff where it had landed paces away just as Fenris stepped over it.

Her head whipped up to look back up at Fenris, eyes widening in fear. "S-stop!" she gasped out, throwing an arm up in defense just as he raised his sword, "You do not want me dead!"

Fenris paused, lips twisting as he sneered. "There is only one person I want dead more."

"I have information, elf," the mage quickly offered, "And I will trade it in return for my life!"

"Ha!" Fenris scoffed, and he'd have rolled his eyes if it didn't mean taking them off the magister for even a single second. This, he expected. "The location of Danarius?" he sarcastically ventured, "What good would that do to me?" His lips curled then, framing a callous smirk as he raised his sword higher to strike. "I'd rather he lose his pet pupil."

What he didn't expect was what Hadriana actually said next.

"You have a sister!" she told him fervently just as he began to bring his blade down, sweat coating her brow, "She's _alive!_"

Fenris faltered, his weapon dropping to the side and slackening in his shock—he heard the sharp intake of breaths of his companions behind him, but he couldn't think past what he just heard.

_A sister?_

His mind raced at the thought, as well did his heart; it could be a trick, a ploy of Hadriana's to preserve her life and yet…

And yet…

_A sister…_

Hadriana must've seen his uncertainty for she shifted forward, stumbling as she moved to her knees, relief creeping in the edges of her expression.

Seeing it angered him.

"Y-you want to reclaim your life, do you not?" She was panting heavily now, curling inward of herself; blood seeped from around Kagome's dagger where it'd impaled her through Hadriana's fingers as she still cradled the wound, beginning to trail down the length of her arm. "Let me go," she beseeched of him, "And I will tell you where she is."

Fenris hesitated for a short moment where he only stared down hard at his old master's pupil, conflicted. Slowly, he straightened and stowed his sword onto his back.

Footsteps approached him from behind before they halted at his side, and a quick glance out of the corner of his eyes told him it was Hawke that stood beside him. "This is your call, Fenris," he heard her murmur quietly.

Fenris set his jaw and approached the mage kneeling on the ground.

"So I have you word?" Hadriana asked of him swiftly as he came closer, wide-eyed and pale—_afraid._ "I tell you and you let me go?"

Fenris paused just inches away, leaning forward and looming over the mage.

_It could be a trick_, his mind warned yet again, but a _sister_. He felt it foolish, the hope that jump-started in his chest—but of anyone beside Danarius, Hadriana _would _know of his past. Likely to taunt and to tease him with in the future should he had ever returned to Danarius' possession, but still _she would know._

And there was a part of him, small and deep inside that felt… like it was the truth.

Looking Hadriana square in the eye, Fenris studied her—he could see no deception, nothing hidden in the depths of her eyes. What he saw was blatant fear, trepidation, desperation, and that hint of relief; if nothing else, it would not hurt to hear what she had to offer him. Then… then, he could decide.

"Yes," he told her slowly, 'You have my word."

Words spilled forth from her lips with ease and eagerness. "Her name is Varania," she breathed out, sagging in her spot. "She is in Qarinus, serving a magister by the name of Ahriman."

Fenris' eyebrows furrowed. "A servant…" he repeated at length, "Not a slave."

Hadriana shook her head briskly. "She's not a slave," she hurried to placate, and her eyes locked with his once more. The relief he saw earlier was now profound and no longer was she tense, as if she felt _safe. From him_

Fenris felt his fingers curl. Words he'd heard often time and time again echoed in his ears louder than ever: _"Such a good slave you are, my little wolf…"_

It was then followed by another phrase, one that sent his blood boiling: "_Had to hire more hunters just to take you out specifically."_

His tattoos ignited.

_No._

"I believe you," he murmured quietly. Fenris watched as her eyes widened in time with his markings lighting up, and in the next second his hand had phased into her chest and crushed her heart.

His eyes slid shut as he listened to her breath stutter and stop, that quick-second look of horrified realization and fear just before he struck imprinted in his mind. Slipping his hand out from her, he let the body drop to the ground, straightened, and stalked away.

"We are done here."

.

.

.

Seeing Fenris snap his hand out and kill Hadriana so suddenly had Kagome starting, inhaling sharply as he crushed the magister's heart and the life faded from her eyes in barely a second.

Blood still dripped from his fingers as Fenris stepped away from the body, and as she slowly staggered to her feet, cradling her side as it throbbed harshly with sharp, lancing pain, Kagome could only watch silently as Hawke then turned to call after him and offer, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Fenris rounded on the mage. "No! I don't want to _talk _about it," he bit out, "This could be a trap! Danarius could have sent Hadriana here to tell me about this—this _sister_. Even if he didn't, trying to find her would be suicide. Danarius has to know about her, and has to know that Hadriana knows…" He trailed off, his gaze finding Hadriana's body sprawled on the ground behind Hawke, and Kagome watched as his face darkened, his guttural tone as he continued sending a chill down her spine. "But all that matters is that I finally got to _crush_ this bitch's heart."

Fenris turned away from it and Hawke both and spat, "May she rot and all the other mages with her."

Hawke went still, her lips becoming tight, the hand she had extended to reach after the elf now dropping to hang limply at her side. Whatever retort that was sitting on her tongue was swallowed back, and she glanced at the captives still huddled in the corner watching them with fear and apprehensive. Instead, she pinched the bridge of her nose, drawing out a soft sigh before wearily murmuring, "We should go."

Fenris, however, did not seem content to let the issue lie there, nor to hold his own tongue. "You saw what was done here." He threw a hand in the direction of the captives. "What was almost done. There's always going to be some reason, some _excuse_ why mages need to do this." He shook his head to himself.

"Even if I found my sister, who knows what the magisters have done to her. What has magic touched that it doesn't spoil?" he snarled in demand, and Hawke flinched, stunned.

Lips pursing, Kagome immediately limped forward to rest a gently hand on her friend's shoulder. "Fenris," she chided softly.

Fenris was already like a coiled spring ready to burst—beneath her touch he tensed even further, the others following suit, and before any of them could blink his markings lit up and he ducked under her hand, snatching it and pushing towards her; startled, Kagome allowed him to crowd her against the wall, hissing against the pain that shot through her side.

"Do no _admonish _me like a child, Kagome," he snapped, looming close, ignorant to how even his friends took a worried step closer just in case. "It was also because of _magic _that I've carried the weight of _your death _for nearly three _years_."

Kagome scowled and she forgot her pain in favor of her anger. "Because of _Danarius,_" she argued vehemently, "Because of the hunters he sent after you, because _one mage stupidly _bit off more than they could chew and fucked up a spell." Their harsh breaths mingled as they stared one another down. "And as you can clearly see, _I'm not dead_." Softening, the miko canted her head to the side, appraising him, before eventually offering a hesitant smile. "Hello to you too, by the way."

Caked with blood and soot, her face glowed warmly.

_Beautiful._

Fenris swallowed thickly at the sudden thought his mind whispered and huffed in annoyance, despising how easily she was able to tear his reasoning into shreds. Gauntleted fingers slipping from her hand, Fenris reached up hesitantly to touch her, to cup her cheek, only to realize it was still wet with blood.

Grimacing, he dropped it and sighed. "Hello, Kagome," he murmured wearily. He started suddenly, finally noticing the hand cradling her side, remembering. "A-are you hurt badly?" he asked urgently, peering up at her face in concern. Guilt and a small amount of horror lined his own.

_Gods, it certainly fucking feels like it. _"I've had worse," she told him instead, "It's not that I'm worried about."

_It's you._

His gaze evaded hers as he gave a jerky nod, eventually falling to her blood-smeared wrist. He stared blankly at it for a moment, tensing, before his eyes darted to his own hand, to the dead body of Hadriana on the ground, then back to peek up at her. Inside his chest emotion swelled, chased by growing panic and the urge to flee.

"I… I am sorry," he choked out, "But I need to—" He took a staggering step back, his dark eyebrows furrowing deeply, clearly at war with himself, before he finally broke. "I am sorry," he mournfully said, looking to her, back over to Hawke, and then the exit as he made his way towards it with brisk strides.

With solemn eyes Kagome watched him go, only to widen when he paused after shoving the door open. "Please…" came his roughly exhaled plea, his back still towards her and his head bowed, "Meet me in Kirkwall?"

Kagome sighed, but nodded though he couldn't see. "Yeah. I'm supposed to find someone at an inn called the Hanged Man?" she suggested.

Without turning, Fenris nodded and slipped out.

Silence fell as Kagome shut her eyes and exhaled slowly, and it wasn't until she heard the sound of shifting feet that she realized he also left her with his… companions? Friends?

Eyes popping open, she turned to find them staring back at her in mild shock.

Kagome swallowed thickly and offered an awkward smile that came off more like a grimace.

"Well," drawled the woman in the blue headscarf and large amount of gold jewelry. Her dark lips cracked in a grin. "That was exciting!"

The miko snorted despite herself, and with a trembling breath she slid down the wall, grunting as she landed on her backside.

The other woman in the group, Hawke, took a worried step forward. "Are you alright?" she asked in concern. "That—that doesn't look too good."

Kagome gave her a weak smile. "Honestly? I think I'm more exhausted than I am in pain. Oh, and _sore_." Gingerly she pulled her hand away to reevaluate her wound. The bleeding had slowed, thankfully, that much she was sure—it wasn't a deep slice in the first place until Hadriana had worsened it—but in this lighting she couldn't exactly see much. "Gods do I want a nap. Or maybe that's the blood loss, shit." She groaned, shaking her head wearily. "Blood mages really are a pain in the ass."

Hawke chuckled lightly. "You're telling me—this place seems to be filled to the brim with them." Swiftly reaching into the pouch at her back, she rummaged through it and plucked out a vial and a couple of small bottles between her fingers and offered them. "Here, drink up—a couple of elfroot potions to help you out, and a stamina draught to perk you up. I've also a bit of magic, if you're willing? I'm no healer, but I know of a couple spells to help if it's serious."

"Be my guest, _please_," Kagome murmured, accepting the potions with a grateful smile and shifting her injured side towards the mage. If Fenris trusted her, a mage, to actually fight at his side without keeping one eye on her at all times, then she _certainly _wasn't an enemy. "And thank you," she murmured before popping the cork and downing the stamina draught in one go, following up with the elfroot potions if only to take care of the soreness.

Hawke grinned, hands that glowed white-blue stretching out to hover over her wound. Immediately, Kagome felt the magic wash over her side, the pain of her wound not vanishing completely but certainly dwindling, especially as it worked alongside the elfroot potion she was chugging down. "Not a problem!" she exclaimed, pulling her hands away, and without pause she said, "So you're Fenris' mystery lady!"

Coughing, Kagome pulled the bottle from her lips and had to wipe the bit that spilled out with the back of her hand. Snorting wryly at the hasty apologetic look Hawke gave that only looked _half-genuine_, Kagome raised an eyebrow and peered at the three of them. "And you're his… friends?" she ventured, uncertain.

The grin on Hawke's face widened. "Yup!"

Kagome shut her eyes and leaned her head against the wall, feeling her lips curl. "Friends…" she murmured, a bit amazed but most of all, _happy_. "I'm glad. A little surprised, though," she admitted ruefully, opening her eyes to peek at them, especially Hawke in particular. "Never expected he'd willingly make friends with a mage, what with, y'know…"

At that, the group's eyes trailed over to Hadriana's body for a short moment.

The dwarf snorted. "Hawke's pretty tenacious like that—draws people in and sticks to them whether you want her to or not. Like a barnacle."

"A _sexy _barnacle," said the female rogue with a salacious wink and a bright laugh.

Hawke snorted, a wry grin twisting her lips, but her amusement quickly bled away as rolled on the balls of her feet while she straightened. Scratching at her cheek, the mage ducked her head. "So… the barriers, taking out the demons like that… I gotta know." Grey eyes peered at Kagome nervously. "Are you a templar?"

Kagome almost laughed, if not for the tension in Hawke's posture and the genuine apprehension in her gaze. That Hawke felt such a way and still offered to heal her and display her magic so obviously before her, even if Kagome had seen her use it before during the fight, spoke volume of her compassion.

Instead, Kagome shook her head to quickly dissuade the woman's worry. "Ah, no, though you're right—my… abilities _are _quite similar. No affiliation, don't worry," She smiled softly and jokingly added, "I'm not even Andrastian."

"_Scandalous_," the dual-dagger wielding rogue gasped with a grin and eyes widened dramatically as a relieved breath blew out of Hawke.

Chuckling, the blond dwarf dusted off his gloved hands. "Fantastic! Well, now that _that's _taken care of, lucky for you, you happen to be standing—well, sitting—in front of two of the Hanged Man's regular residents. Varric Tethras at your service." He gave a nod, winking. "Who's this person you said you're looking for?"

Kagome scratched at her cheek, head tilting. "A pirate, actually," she answered, picking up the second elfroot potion. "Dunno her personally, a friend just gave me a name and told me to find that inn—Isabela." Popping the cork, she downed the potion in one go, closing her eyes in bliss as the aches and pain faded further away and missing how the three in front of her had paused.

"…Sounds familiar," Varric murmured, shifting from foot to foot. "Mind I ask why you need her?"

Kagome cracked an eye open and shrugged. "Caralina just said to find her if I wanted to get out of Kirkwall without drawing attention." She sighed, fidgeting in her seat. "Wasn't supposed to come here in the first place, something about the Qunari and all the Templars, but we came under fire on our way up to Cumberland and had to stop in to escape and repair. " Calling forth her abilities, she twiddled her faintly glowing fingers. "Had to block some fire bomb spells from sinking the ship, and she said it was safer if I didn't sail with them any longer or someone might end up spilling my little secret where the Templars could hear."

With a grunt, Kagome clambered to her feet, taking the hand offered to help her from the only person she'd yet to learn their name. With a grateful glance, she stretched slowly, prodding the edge of the wound on her side and smiling to find that the healing and potions had all but sealed it. It was still tender though, and nothing but rest would fix that. "But... since Fenris is here," she went on, murmuring absently, "I might just ask where I can stay hidden until Caralina's crew finally sets off."

When the trio laughed, Kagome blinked and looked back up.

"Caralina, huh?" the woman who'd helped her up muttered, still snickering under her breath. "What a coincidence then!" she said as she stepped forward, offering her hand once more. "_I'm _Isabela!"

* * *

_fighting. so. much. **fighting**. boy am i glad for that to finally be over._

_i feel a little bad that i didn't give a chance for these two to **really **reunite, but i thought so much was going on, and after killing hadriana fenris would be too... wired, for the fact that kagome's alive and here to **really **hit him._

_but next chapter! next chapter, they should definitely have a moment to themselves ;3_

_oh, and a couple of announcements! :D_

_sweetlessly has gifted me with a wonderful surprise and created a rather gorgeous work of art. i managed to work in the little bit of writing she sent with it, in the last scene before Fenris leaves: _

_"_Caked with blood and soot, her face glowed warmly.

_Beautiful."_

_honestly, it really feels that you're looking at kagome from fenris' own perspective. it's amazing - thank you again sweetlessly! check it out and please let her know what you think here on her deviantart acct: __sweetlessly. deviantart. c-o-m. it's called "Reunion," and should be the first thing you see on her profile!_

_additionally, after the last chapter i posted a scrapped scene on my tumblr, of another alternate reunion-instead of Fenris and Kagome meeting at the end during the fight with Hardriana, they actually bumped into each other in the middle of clearing out the caves. if you're interested, just head on over to the fic's tag (zefyre. tumblr. c-o-m/tagged/ttlg) and scroll down til you find it! AND there are some headcanons that some wonderful ppl decided to send in and share and a couple other things as well, so check em too! (so much stuff! haha, thank you to all of you guys that contributed, ily! )_

_and thanks again guys for reviewing, and favoriting too! it means so much! til next time!_


	9. Part IX

_Boom. I did it lmao._

_For Janelle, my very dear friend and one of the nicest, funniest, and all around wonderful people ever, who I wanted to do something nice for on their special day ;3 and so I hope this will do! ^^_

_Happy birthday (again), love! I hope your day is a fantastic one! ;)_

* * *

Part IX

Once the would-be sacrifices were all seen to, captives like many of the others Kagome had managed to save and just as eager to return home, it was then that Hawke and her friends offered to accompany the archer back to Kirkwall.

To which she accepted. Fatigued as she was and sorely lacking arrows for her primary weapon, she wasn't in the best condition to make the trip alone.

There was also the little problem that Kagome wasn't entirely confident she _knew _the way back. She had relied on the two she was following to find the holding caves and paid attention to little else on the way over, but _that_ wasn't something she was about to admit out loud.

The thought had Kagome worrying though, about Fenris returning to the city on his own, especially since it was nearly dusk and one of the main reasons that Hawke had suggested traveling together was because of the Tal-Vashoth that stalked the coast.

But the woman herself assured the miko that Fenris had only been roughed up a bit before the fight with Hadriana and not seriously injured – mostly thanks to the fact that _someone_ had done half of the work clearing the holding caves for them before they had even arrived.

"Pretty gutsy, charging in there alone," Varric commented when the subject came up while they made their way down the coast. His tone was neutral, but there was an undercurrent of something that Kagome couldn't quite discern – likely because he himself couldn't decide whether it was impressive or stupid.

Kagome snorted, her gaze rising to the darkening sky. "I don't know if taking them down when they weren't looking could be called gutsy, exactly." Her actions were little different than that of an assassin, and the comparison was something she wasn't sure how to feel about. Either way, it didn't exactly sit well with her.

"They were blood mages and slavers, sweet thing," Isabela was quick to gently rebuff, "They don't deserve fair."

_That _was true enough. Killing wasn't something Kagome enjoyed, but… Being sacrificed for power wasn't a fate those people deserved either. She certainly didn't regret that she went in, that she saved those she could. "Still pretty stupid though," she murmured with a rueful, half-smile. "_Gods_," she laughed, as the reality of what she did finally started to hit her. "I can't believe I did that either."

Shippo would _throttle _her if he ever found out, and if she could help it, he never _would_.

"Well, you'll fit right in then!" Hawke chipped in, bright and chipper as she laughed, "We make a _lot _of stupid decisions around here and yet still manage to scrape by!"

Kagome mouth twitched and then she laughed once more. "Nice to know," she managed to get out in-between breaths.

_Fenris, you've certainly found yourself some interesting friends…_

Later on as they were finally approaching town, Kagome found herself staring at the gates leading into Kirkwall's Hightown.

Behind those gates, Fenris waited and still it felt so… surreal.

And she had _so many _questions too. He had lingered long enough to find allies, to _make_ friends. How long had he stayed? What of Danarius and his hunters?

Her heart swelled as she wondered – had Fenris found himself a home?

To think that the man she had spent years beside, who once could not _stand _to remain in one place for little more than a couple of weeks, had changed so much.

The thought had her faltering, as well as her steps. When Hawke looked over, concern plain across her face, Kagome offered a small smile and a shake of her head.

Fenris had changed, that much was clear, but he had also _grown_ and Kagome found herself saddened that she wasn't able to witness it for herself.

It also made her wonder what else had changed, and she hated how apprehensive it made her.

_. _

_._

The world was a blur the moment he stepped out through the door, his feet taking him – away, anywhere but there, where bodies littered the room, Hadriana's in the midst of them all and the mess he made spilling out onto the floor, where the eyes of his companions, of _Kagome_, watched him like some beast about ready to snap at them.

_He knew immediately such a thought was wrong. They were… his friends. They've known him long enough to know his temper, to know that it burned hot, and to be wary of it would only be natural lest they be burned by it too. _

_Still, a venomous part of his mind hissed, nothing like this._

_For a fear of his, a deep seated one that he himself would rather not admit to, much less think of, was one day turning to find them staring back in fear. _

So he ran. It was what he did best, after all – all he had done for the last better half of a decade: running from Danarius, running from the hunters the magister had sent after him, running from his shame and his weakness. Running from his actions in the holding caves, from the stunning news he received – a _sister_; still his mind could not even grasp such a thought– from _Kagome_, who was _alive_, from his racing mind and the growing monster building up into his chest threatening to explode from the inside because of all these world-shifting events was only par the norm.

So much had happened in such little time, and time was what he needed to just – _process_. To _think_. Without the pressure of anyone watching him, waiting.

How much time he had exactly allowed to pass for his feet to drift, he did not know. But by the time he found himself standing before Kirkwall's gates the sun had long already set and so, for the most part, had the monster in his chest.

He had killed Hadriana.

Her death wasn't something he was about to cry over, certainly not, but it wasn't something he had meant to do – even despite how good it felt, the knowledge that she could neither taunt him nor haunt him any longer, as well as, admittedly, to execute the deed himself.

However, he _did _have every intention of letting her go. Yet, he didn't. He couldn't. He had looked at her and given his word and killed her anyways – not because of some conscious choice he'd made to deceive her, but because, for just a split second_, he could not control himself_. And that _tore _at him inside, for it made him realize he was still a slave – his shackles had only changed hands from Danarius to the ghosts of his own past.

He also had a sister, if Hadriana could be believed – and a small part of him couldn't help but do so.

He had a sister who he could not remember, did not even know if she remembered him, if she knew of him or whether he was alive, or what she even looked like. But he had one and she was not a slave, a fact that made something in his chest settle. _Relief._ And he now knew where she was.

A larger part still warned him that it could be a trap, bait that Danarius had intended to dangle and tempt him with so as to draw him out, but he could have it looked into. And if this Varania was who Hadriana said she was…

If this woman was his sister…

Fenris felt something bubble in his chest and he absently lifted a hand to rub against his chest plate, above the spot. It took a painful moment to recognize it as hope, and he let his hand slide away to fall at his side, eyes shutting against the noise of his gauntlet scraping against the metal.

His mind rebelled against the bittersweet feeling immediately, past experiences warning him against it – his life had never took kindly to hope, it fervently reminded him, and often only turned out to give nothing but disappointment in return.

Yet, he could not help but allow it. He wanted. _Gods_, he realized, how much he wanted. A sister meant so many things – a link to his past, answers, so many answers, and most of all, _family._ And he could not help but think, perhaps, hope was not always fated to end in empty returns.

After all, there was _her _– one thing he had never dared to hope for, not after that day, knowing, _believing_, it was fool's hope and would only end in pain.

And yet…

When he burst into that room and saw her there, kneeling on the floor, covered in dirt and blood, her teeth bared in a snarl and a fire burning in her eyes, watching as her face went slack with shock as he was sure his own did the same before her gaze finally, _finally,_ locked with his – for that single moment he had forgotten all about Hadriana and his fury and his thirst for the witch's blood, he was filled instead with so much … _elation_.

To find her in those caves, breathing and whole and _fighting_, to hear her voice again, to feel the warmth of her flesh pressed against him like so long ago, was beyond even his wildest dreams and most desperate of wishes.

Kagome was...

_Alive._

Kagome was alive and Fenris breathed and he wanted to _laugh_.

So he did.

A broken sound escaped his throat, rough and raw and disbelieving as his eyes began to sting and an idle thought crossed his mind, that if anyone saw him now, back bowed and arms loosely wrapped around his stomach and shoulders shaking with halting jolts, they may think him mad.

It was fine, however, because Kagome was _alive_ and that alone felt so liberating that Fenris couldn't find it in him to care if a cutpurse came up to him right then and relieved him of what little coin he carried.

_Kagome was alive._

His laughter faded as swift as it came.

And... _And... _Fenris thought with growing horror, eyes snapping to the city gates to stare, stricken, _I left_, and suddenly his feet were moving once more at a brisk pace.

Kagome was alive; he saw her standing before his own two eyes, solid and real, and she had come after Hadriana — for _him. _And he left.

For years he thought her dead and the moment he found out it wasn't so, he had _left._

His steps quickened further.

_._

_._

The Hanged Man was the type of establishment where no questions were asked and happily so, and Kagome was very appreciative of the fact.

As soon as they stepped foot into Kirkwall, the hood of Kagome's cloak – now in sore need of mending and a couple good washes, if it was even salvable – was pulled back up to conceal her identity. Walking into the tavern batted no eyes and garnered only a couple of the briefest of curious looks as they headed straight into Varric's suite. Even the barmaid wasn't fazed when she asked for the archer's order, giving her the same tired smile she gave everyone else at the table before moving on.

After Kagome had taken Varric's offer to clean up a bit, she returned to the room to find Norah, the barmaid, already setting out bowls of stew in front of the others. Despite how utterly exhausted she was, she found herself to be even hungrier as her stomach let out an angry growl loud enough for the others to hear and pause in their conversation.

Varric's snort and Hawke and Isabela's snickering had Kagome ducking her head, hiding further under her hood – Norah, at least, was kind enough to keep her reaction to a mild twitch of her lips.

She dug into her meal with gusto, talking and getting to know the others in between bites to fill the silence. It surprised her, the ease with which she slipped into conversation with the three. Maybe it was because she knew that Fenris, however much, trusted these people. Maybe it was the people themselves, Varric's natural charm, Hawke's amiable personality, and Isabela's endless supply of dirty jokes and suggestive comments, that kept her words flowing. Maybe it was mix of it all.

She liked it here, she found herself deciding as she sat with the others still not even an hour later, head thrown back along with her hood, forgotten as she laughed aloud, while nursing a mug of what was the shittiest ale she had to date and not caring in the slightest.

Kagome was still laughing when she caught sight of something white, just out of the corner of her eyes, and immediately she turned to look more clearly.

Her laughs faltered, softly trailing off.

Paces away in the doorway stood Fenris, watching her with an intensity she could feel strike her deep in her soul. Suddenly, she could not help but be hyperaware of how hard her heart was beating just then.

The others began to quiet upon her abrupt silence, turning to follow her gaze. Fenris fidgeted beneath their stares but remained rooted to his spot, features lined with uncertainty. Though he did not yet step inside, he did not appear about to make another escape; instead, she caught the way his body made a little pitch forward before shifting back, like a tiny aborted lurch.

He was done running it seemed, but unsure whether his presence was welcomed after how he had left things.

Grinning softly to herself, Hawke was the first to move and give Kagome an encouraging nudge.

Flushing a bit, Kagome broke out of her staring and pushed herself to her feet, unable to help the trembling grin spreading across her own face. Nervousness bubbled in her stomach as she crossed over to the man waiting for her.

But washing over her nerves was the overwhelming sense of pure _relief_ – Fenris was _there_, before her very eyes, safe and free and _whole_. Before she knew it, Kagome found tears coming to her eyes and she quickened her strides when there were only a few feet between them remaining, closing the distance and throwing her arms around Fenris' neck, firmly pulling him flush against her.

Stunned, Fenris stood there and let her, frozen in her arms. In the distance out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his friends similarly rendered speechless, gaping at them.

"It's been so long," Kagome choked out, overwrought with heavy emotion that he could not even begin to decipher, "I've been so _worried_." Tears began coloring her words.

Fenris felt the shock melting away and found himself relaxing in her hold. Slowly, with hands that he hated to admit were trembling, he returned her embrace, arms gliding across the width of her back. Burying his nose into the crown of her head he breathed her in with a shaky murmur. "Kagome…"

She pulled away, arms sliding from around his neck so that she could cup his jaw, could sweep the arch of his ears with her thumbs. Fenris' eyes fluttered under her touch, and she watched as his lips lazily curled into a small, content grin. Warmth bubbled in her chest at the sight, had her breathing out a watery laugh in turn, and she pressed her forehead against his and smiled.

It was a long moment before either of them moved, wanting to bask in the other's touch, in their presence – Kagome was the one to pull away once more, just enough so she could stare up at him. She swept his bangs out from his hooded eyes, another laugh pulling from her throat – a rueful sound, this time around. "I thought I'd never…" she trailed off, lips quivering as she really took him in. "Oh, Fenris, are you okay?"

"I… I am better, now." Fenris felt a surge of emotion crash over him and he pulled her back towards him, hugging her closely once again. Head bowed, he felt his whole body quake. "I thought – I thought you were _dead_," he exhaled, words coming hoarsely. "You _were _dead," he amended, because for the last few years, to him, she _was_.

Fingers curled against his shoulder blades momentarily, trembling, before they straightened, drawing small, soothing circles he could feel as the tips of her digits skimmed across the skin and spine bared by the open strip running down the back of his tunic.

"I was knocked unconscious," he heard her whisper into his chest, his ears barely able to catch her words. "Fell into a ravine from the blast, hidden by some bushes. When I came out… hunters or bandits or whatever they were, were scavenging what was left in the clearing."

Fenris swallowed thickly, his stomach swooping uncomfortably. "You were there the whole time?" he exhaled, voice small and breaking.

He caught a sniffle even under the cacophony of the inn as it was, Kagome burying her face further into his pauldron. "I tried looking, tracking you – I'm not sure how long I was out because I couldn't– " She broke off, shuddering, before she suddenly pushed away to look back up at him. "Fenris, I'm so _sorry_."

"It's not your fault," he automatically said, but he sounded bereft.

He could not even _begin _to comprehend – she was _there_, alive, the whole time, and he had abandoned her.

Kagome was already shaking her head. "It wasn't yours either," she insisted.

Still, he did not look like he believed it – believed her.

For nearly _three_ years he had thought… If only he had _waited_, all that time believing her to be dead, that it was his fault…

…It could have been spent together, instead.

_"_Where are you staying?" Fenris rasped, abruptly clearing his throat. Fingers glided to pause at the bend of her elbow and Kagome found herself having to resist leaning into the touch fully and bask in it, not here, not so obviously in front of the others.

Though they were kind enough to talk quietly amongst themselves and give them some semblance of privacy, she could still feel they were being watched. She'd rather not give them more of a show than they already had if she could help it, and was sure Fenris felt much the same.

"Here," she answered in return. "Isabela was telling me it's safe enough if I keep my hood up and my head down out there," she said, with a backwards glance at said pirate. "That the people here are not usually the type to, ah, pry."

"Unless there's coin to open their mouths," Fenris muttered, disdainful.

They heard a snort from behind them and turned to find Varric with an eyebrow raised and obviously listening in on them, just as Kagome thought. "Or coin to keep them shut," the dwarf murmured, almost idly. At Kagome's confused look, Varric smiled easily enough. "I really wouldn't worry too much about it, Firefly."

Kagome's confusion only furthered and so she turned to Fenris for clarification.

The elf rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, a grudging quirk to his mouth. "Varric has…. Connections."

"For shame, Serah," the dwarf himself interjected immediately. "I am but a businessman with a penchant for storytelling!"

A quiet snort passed from Fenris. With a flat look slated at his companion, he drawled, "Whose dealings more or less involve the Coterie, among other, less savory organizations."

Varric huffed, looking obstinately offended. "I won't stand for such slander!" he exclaimed, clapping a hand against the stone table. The same hand shot out to punch Hawke in her shoulder when she muttered something under her breath.

"_Well, it isn't as if you're standing much at all in any case."_

She took the hit with a wry, shameless grin that had Varric shaking his head in feigned disgust. "And here I consider you my best friend."

"But I still love you the most," the mage fawned dramatically, winding her arms around Varric's shoulders, "Doesn't that count for something?"

Pointedly turning his head away, Varric sniffed. "At this moment, not really." Still, even he couldn't hide the faint curl of his lips at Hawke's theatric gasp of dismay.

Snorting into her drink, Isabela rolled her eyes with a grin. "Would you two like a moment of privacy?"

Immediately, Hawke let Varric go to vehemently protest that her love for him was entirely different than what they had, only for Isabela to laugh it off with breezy ease.

"Darling goose, I think we both know whose name it was you were shouting in my ear last night."

As the other two sputtered, one from embarrassment and the other from amusement, Kagome was wearing a grin of her own as she turned back to Fenris. Her smile faltered, and she found herself swallowing lightly, seeing the look on his face.

Though the corners of his mouth were only slightly curved to make a faint, small smile, there was also a lightness to his face that… Kagome honestly couldn't recall seeing before. Their time traveling together was always haunted by the hunters snapping at their heels – it gave no welcome to carefree moments such as these. A second of recklessness could lead to tragedy.

It nearly did, anyway.

"Kagome?"

Fenris' soft rasp startled Kagome, eyes flying back up to meet his curious gaze from where it had fallen to his shoulder. "This place has done you some good," she couldn't help but murmur, the corner of her own mouth lifting. "Or the people, rather."

She was only barely able to catch the faint flush rising to further darken his cheeks before he turned away with an irritated grumble.

"Well shit, I didn't know the elf could blush," Varric laughed from across the room. The three had quieted down, their attention now back on the pair up by the door. "It's a good look on you, Broody. Makes you seem more… approachable." When Fenris gave a low growl and a flinty glare, the dwarf only laughed again. "Y'know, as opposed to _that_."

Kagome tried not to snicker, she really did. Still, she failed. "Broody?" she murmured, profusely delighted as her gaze flickered to the elf beside her, watching as his own rolled up to the ceiling. "Firefly?"

"Makes it easier to tell all you tall people apart," Varric explained, winking.

"Fenris refused to tell me his name at first, when we met," Kagome confessed, not at all perturbed at the exasperated noise it drew from her friend. "He only told me when I threatened to call him 'Grumpy'."

Fenris bore their resulting laughter with surprising goodwill, even as Varric shot him a meaningful look from the corner of his eye as he said to Kagome, "I like you, Firefly. I think I speak for us all when I say we'd be _more_ than happy to see you stick around for a while."

"Speaking of," Fenris interjected before he could go on further, sending another a dark glare in the blond's direction before pointedly clearing his throat, "The crew of the ship you sailed here with – they have yet to leave, yes?"

It took a moment to calm herself before Kagome could answer coherently. "I doubt they'd manage to do all the repairs in one afternoon," she confirmed, lips still twitching.

"With that and resupplying whatever they lost, I'd give it at least a week," Isabela chimed in, leaning back into her seat. Her bracelets gave a rattle as she set her mug onto the table. "And that's being generous – the harbormaster is a tight arse. Could take two if he's in a mood; three if they actually piss him off."

Fenris gave a nod, as if that decided it. "Then it's risky for you to stay here – I doubt they'd stay in docks the whole time, and they'd probably be drawn to a place like this."

Hawke's expression was positively impish. "You've another place in mind, Fenris?"

It was the first time since he stepped into the room that Hawke had addressed him directly – accordingly, he faltered in his determination. "I… I do," he said, soft. His eyes flickered over to Kagome, now unsure. "If it is alright with you, of course."

Kagome wasn't sure what he had in mind, but she trusted him and that was enough for her. She nodded, saying, "I just need to grab my things then and tell Corff I won't be needing that room after all."

"We'll leave whenever you're finished," said Fenris, nodding slow. His gaze then drifted to Hawke, where the mage was now leaning forward against the table, elbows propped and chin perched atop her clasped hands. He sounded uncharacteristically demur as he said, "But first… if I may have a word, Hawke?"

Grey eyes blinked at him, before the woman nodded. "Mind if we borrow your room for a moment, 'Bela?"

"You're welcomed to it." The pirate herself climbed to her feet. "I'll head up to the bar with you, sweetness," she said to Kagome, before looking over her shoulder. "Need another drink, Varric?"

"Love one, Rivaini."

.

.

Whatever Fenris had to say to Hawke, the two of them looked better for it despite how drained they appeared after the conversation.

By the time they came back, talking softly to one another, it was clear that Fenris was at least more comfortable around the mage and less guilty. Hawke, too, seemed more relaxed as well as she gently nudged shoulders with him while they walked back into Varric's room, where they found the three laughing wildly around the rims of their drinks.

"Hawke!" Isabela shouted upon seeing them enter. "And Fenris! We were just talking about you two!"

"Oh?" the mage murmured, amused, as the elf beside her stiffened. "Do tell! Only good things, I hope."

"Trading stories, really," Varric said with a low chuckle. "Firefly's got some interesting tales to share."

"Oh, joy," Fenris deadpanned.

"Nothing too embarrassing!" the archer said in her defense, quickly holding up her hands in surrender. She swayed slightly as she did so.

Accusation mingled with the exasperation already on Fenris' face. "I'd be more far more inclined to believe you if you weren't currently _drunk_."

"Tipsy," Kagome immediately protested. "I'm _tipsy_."

A chorus of snorts echoed around the room, revealing just how many of them believed her – which was none.

Kagome huffed. There was a flush to her cheeks, but that could as well as be from the ale than any embarrassment she was feeling.

Fenris shook his head, eyes shut and lips pursed, like he was trying not to laugh.

"Okay I… may be a little drunk," she admitted, bashful.

Finally, Fenris gave a soft laugh under his breath. "Then perhaps we should go?" When she clambered to her feet with a slight sway, he crossed the room in a brisk stride, holding out a hand for her to take and steady herself with.

With a grateful look, she grabbed onto him, swooping down to grab her bag and bringing her hood back up once more before letting him lead her out the room. After biding their goodnights and farewells, the pair was gone from the room.

"Oh boy, what I would _give _to be a fly on that wall," Isabela commented moments later to break the silence that had followed, a grin plastered across her face. "She's just gonna _love_ the welcoming mat in his foyer, I know it."

Varric snorted, leaning back into his chair. "I'm just wondering how far Broody thought it through before he decided to be a gentleman and offer the sanctuary of his humble abode." At the raised eyebrows from both his female companions, he grinned. "It's been how many years since he took the place? A few years, almost? The only decent bed, never mind room, in the whole damn place is _his_." Varric took a swig of his ale, swallowing before he chuckled into his drink. "When do you think he's gonna realize?"

Hawke's eyes went wide for a beat before she sputtered out a laugh, sinking into her seat. "Oh. Oh, _poor Fenris!_"

Isabela crowed. "Hey, maybe that was his plan all along!"

"Pft. I don't know if Broody is that slick," Varric laughed. His laughs faded as a pensive look started to take over his face. "Besides," he said, softer this time, "You see the way he is around her?"

Isabela hummed as she leaned forward, resting her chin in her palm. "Like a different person, almost," she murmured. Her golden eyes drifted to the side in contemplation, a dark brow furrowing. "Less… spikey, that's for sure."

Varric snorted, but didn't disagree.

Hawke peered between her two friends. "So, what's the verdict?" she asked, a finger gliding along the rim of her cup.

Sobering a bit, Varric gave a thoughtful hum. "She's a nice one. Genuinely so. I'd say not a mean bone in her body, but, well, we all saw her earlier today."

Isabela gave a soft, 'hah', a wry twist to her lips. "She was ready to rip that witch apart with her own bare hands!"

"Speaking of hands," Varric murmured, raising an eyebrow at Hawke. "You didn't happen to find anything else about her…" he trailed off with a telling wiggle of his short fingers. "I admit, even I'm curious to what that's about."

"Diving right into 'so, you're not a mage, but you're not a _Templar_ either…?' would be coming on a bit strong, no?" Hawke mused, and lifted a shoulder to shrug. "She's not a Templar, so that's good enough for me, really. And Fenris obviously trusts her."

"You didn't ask him?" Isabela wondered, languidly tipping her head in the mage's direction so she could look over at her. "While you two were chatting?"

Hawke shook her head.

"Everything alright there?" Varric cautiously asked when it was clear she wasn't about to expand further on the subject herself.

"Perfectly peachy," she quipped, and downed the remains of her drink. Sliding the back of her hand across her mouth to wipe away any lingering drops, she sat back and allowed the corner of her mouth curve into a small smile.

.

.

The trip from the Hanged Man to Fenris' place was a quiet one, much to the surprise of the elf himself, and a sobering one for Kagome. The fresh air did much to clear her facilities – not that she said so aloud, wanting to enjoy the warmth of Fenris' touch at the base of her spine as he lead her out of Lowtown and through Hightown, keeping her close while also keeping both an eye and ear out for any signs of an ambush.

"There's almost always someone hiding in the shadows," he had informed her under his breath. "We – Hawke and the others – did away with some of the major gangs last year, but it seems that only cleared the way for another to take their place in time."

It had Kagome checking for her daggers, just in case.

But they made it to his home in one piece without any blood needing to be spilled, thankfully, and soon enough Fenris was letting her into one of the mansions that occupied Hightown.

"Well," Kagome announced in a measuring tone once they were inside, eyeing the corpse propped up by a spear in the entryway. He had already explained the circumstances through which he acquired the place, and that it was through his acquaintance with the city's Guard-Captain that he was able to keep it.

What he had seemed to skip over was the part where she wasn't his only guest.

"Your… decorative tastes leave much to be desired, but I can certainly see the appeal."

Fenris snorted, casting a look over his shoulder as he led them through the mansion's vestibule.

"It'll ward off the most squeamish of the intruders that might _dare_ to encroach on your self-claimed home!" she exclaimed, to which Fenris chuckled. Truly, though, Kagome couldn't say she was really surprised – not any longer, at least.

She was surprised to hear he lived in Hightown, at first, right up until he mentioned the place he stayed at was once Danarius' until he killed the slave hunters and demons that occupied the building and essentially staked it as his own.

Letting the mansion fall into further disrepair was just another slap in Danarius' face on top of taking it in the first place.

What _was_ a surprise was just _how many _of the damn corpses he left lying around the place – something she discovered _personally_ as they were crossing the room towards the stairs, when she was too busy eyeing the rather large gaping hole in the ceiling and stumbled, grunting as she fell.

Whatever she landed on certainly wasn't the broken-tile floor – it was too soft for that, and floors did not give under pressure.

Nor did it have the aroma of decay that assaulted her nose and made her eyes tear.

Valiantly struggling against the urge to retch was hard enough before she opened her eyes and also had to swallow back a yelp at the empty-eyed skull that stared at her blankly in return. Quickly, she shut her eyes and tried to force it all from her mind as a strangled whimper worked its way from her throat.

Steps away Fenris froze at the sound the collision, foot halted in mid-air as he winced. With dread he turned and crossed over with quick strides, pulling Kagome up with ease.

As soon as she managed it, the miko opened her eyes and shot him a cold glare.

Fenris swallowed lightly. "I… I will clear some of these up a bit tomorrow," he offered in recompense.

"Some?" Kagome's voice cracked.

Fenris turned his head to avoid her gaze and did not answer further. His hands remained where they were, however, a fact he himself realized a beat slower than her.

Abruptly, he pulled them away, pointedly clearing his throat. "The rooms are, uh, just up the stairs," he muttered under his breath, so low that Kagome strained to hear him, and pivoted on his heel to head towards the staircase.

Kagome followed after him silently, grimacing when their path crossed with yet another corpse, and nearly walked into Fenris when he suddenly stopped at the top of the landing.

She watched as he fidgeted in his spot, gaze flicking between the middle door and the left. After a long moment, Kagome gave into the urge to take mercy on him. "Is everything alright?"

Fenris went still. She caught sight of dark, olive green as his gaze flickered over at her from the corner of his eyes. "Ah, it's just…" he trailed off, shoulders dropping as he sighed. "The other room does have a bed… but it has been over a year since I last stepped foot inside. I… doubt it or the room itself is in the best of conditions…." Kagome could barely detect a note of something, be it embarrassment or shame she wasn't sure.

She stepped forward. "Fenris, it's alright," she said, smiling, and reached out to gently touch his shoulder, wanting to reassure him. "Renting a room at the Hanged Man, for one night at least, should be safe."

"No," Fenris spoke before truly thinking about it and his sudden objection had Kagome stopping short. "I…" A frustrated sigh hissed its way through his teeth and the elf clenched his fists at his side.

Kagome wasn't sure what to think – a part of her wondered, hoped, that like her he didn't want her to leave. Nearly three years they had been separated – almost three years she had grieved, and wondered, and hoped, and wished…

A couple of hours, spent fighting and drinking among his friends, after all that time, just weren't enough.

Especially when they had yet to have even a single moment truly to themselves; especially when so much had yet to be said and she could feel it hanging over them even now, in the slight tension and awkwardness that lingered in the air and stood out profoundly in moments where silence had fallen.

She didn't want to assume, however – didn't want to set herself up for disappointment. She accomplished what she had set out to do – she found Fenris, alive and well and still free from the clutches of his former master, though the magister still had yet to give up.

Anything else, anything _more_…

She could only wish and wait and see.

"I am sorry, Kagome," she heard him whisper. Eyes widening, she looked back up to find him staring solemnly back at her. "I… confess, I was not thinking when I offered to host you. I merely wanted…" He stopped himself there, gaze falling to the floor, and did not finish the thought.

Kagome found herself also wishing that he did. She wondered what it was, that he wanted, and answered with a confession of her own. "I'm glad you did."

His eyes rose slowly, meeting hers so warm and with such intensity, the shiver that it sent racing down the length of her spine was like a jolt of lightning – alive and wild and leaving tingles to thrum throughout her limbs.

Clearing her throat, she ducked her head and rolled her shoulders before trying for a smile. "We've spent many nights in close quarters–" She caught the way Fenris raised an eyebrow at that and hastily added, "–During our travels. I don't mind sharing a room if you don't?"

A teasing glint filled his gaze. "So bold," he murmured, lips twitching into a grin. "But then, you always did enjoy the company."

Fenris moved then, making his way to the door in the middle and leaving her there to sputter after him. He opened the door and beckoned her inside, still grinning.

Huffing, she stepped inside with a roll of her eyes and ignored how he chuckled after her before shutting the door behind him.

As he crossed the room to feed the dying blaze in the fireplace, Kagome took a moment to look around.

The room was in better shape than the rest of the mansion – tidier, cleaner. The floor was still covered with broken tile, and the walls were peeling, and she could even spy cobwebs in the corners, but it was clearly lived in.

She could see that Fenris did not do much more than make sure he wasn't sleeping and living in filth itself. The bed was made with clean, if threadbare, sheets. The table by the wall was clear of grime and dust, only a bowl holding a few pieces of various fruits and a couple cups set on the surface. A bottle of wine half-filled sat on one end of the worn bench facing the fireplace.

She could also see that Fenris did not make much effort in making even the room he occupied his. If he hadn't already told her, she wouldn't have known he'd been living there for over two years. It certainly didn't look like it.

"It isn't much," Fenris began, but Kagome felt the need to stop him right there.

"Do you remember that time," she wondered aloud, spinning on the heels of her feet to face him. "I think it was just a few months after we first met. The barn we had to take shelter in, to escape the storm?"

Uncertain where she was going with this, Fenris nodded warily.

"_That _was a shithole," she bluntly said, "What with the wind, _everything_ _creaked_. I swear, I thought it was going to fall on top of us. I couldn't catch a wink of rest that night."

"The roof here leaks," Fenris flatly replied in turn.

"And I'm sure that can be easily fixed with a board and a couple of nails," she breezily countered. "Fenris," she said, smiling, "It's _okay_."

A hush fell between them – an awkward one, which Kagome couldn't begrudge. Where does one even begin once past the initial reunion after two years of the other thinking you were dead?

"I'm tired," Kagome finally said in the end, breaking the silence. Because she was, and as much as she desired to talk, as much there needed to be said, perhaps it would come more easily after a night's worth of sleep for them both. Peering at Fenris, she watched him fidget but nonetheless looking a tad relieved. "I know we've got… a million things to talk about, but maybe…"

"Of course," he softly said, clearly understanding. "Would you…" he trailed off, awkwardly gesturing to the bed.

"I've got my bedroll," she declined gently, "But thank you. It'd be easier to fall asleep in something familiar."

.

.

Kagome could not sleep.

Silence reigned between the two, as the listened to the sounds around them – past the crackling of the fire burning to her left, she could catch a skittering noise below; outside, scratching, the low howl of the wind skating through the cracks of windows too old to shut and seal completely out; the faint jingle of armor of a passing guard.

And despite how extremely _exhausted _Kagome was, sleep still refused to come; she wondered if Fenris was faring the same.

"…Fenris?" she called out gently, a cautious probe. No answer followed, but she did manage to catch the telltale hitch of his breath that signaled he had heard.

It didn't matter, as long as she knew he was listening. She shifted in her bed roll, pressed her face further into her pillow, curling inwardly as a soft sigh escaped her. There was one thing that had been eating at her, ever since that moment at the Hanged Man – she had wanted to wait until the morning, when they talked, but it seemed it couldn't.

"I just wanted to say… I'm sorry."

_Sorry for leaving you alone, sorry for the pain I caused, sorry that for the last two years you've carried the weight of my death on your shoulders._

_Sorry for not finding you sooner._

Unbeknownst to her, where he laid in his bed, tensed beneath his sheets, Fenris's eyes clenched further still—a drop of water escaping from the corner of his eyes. Eventually, he let out a shuddering breath he wasn't aware he had been holding and suddenly sat up, sheets pooling at his waist.

"Kagome."

The woman jerked at his voice, strong and clear if not for the hoarse crack in the middle. She opened her eyes, found his green eyes gleaming in the dark, staring straight at her.

She waited.

Fenris' eyes fluttered shut, his head bowing, soft white bangs falling into his face. When he spoke, his voice had dropped to a vulnerable whisper.

He did not wave off her apology; did not deny or argue against or accept it; instead, he reciprocated with one of his own.

"…I am sorry, as well."

Slowly, her fist curled into her blanket, pressing it firmly to her chest, a smile forming on her lips. She paid Fenris the same favor and neither waved the apology off nor accepted it.

"There's just… one thing I fail to understand," the man continued softly, "All this time you were alive – why have you not returned to your home world by now? Was that not your desire, to find a way back?"

_Why look for me?_

Kagome only smiled at him and simply said, "It was, but I decided to stay."

Fenris froze. "What of your son?" he asked, the words a hushed whisper between them.

Kagome couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. Sitting up as well, she shrugged off her blanket and said, "Well, it turned out that going home didn't matter much to either of us in the end. Shippo didn't want to go back and neither did I – he actually found someone during his own search. Her name's Morrigan…"

Looking down, she smoothed her blanket out over her lap as her smile widened. "Besides," she murmured, "As I said before, this world isn't so bad. And the ritual wasn't really worth the risk – it was only by chance that we ended up here, after all, and without that jewel of mine and its power, who knows where I could end up if I go through it again."

Finally glancing up, she caught his stare and held it as she told him, "I'd much rather just stay here."

"I…" Fenris trailed off, speechless.

Kagome went on. "I was planning on returning to Tevinter at first, to track down Danarius just in case he'd caught you or had a lead to where you where, when I heard those slave hunters talking about a rather _terrifying_ elf wanted by a magister and his apprentice." Her lips twitched, the corners of her eyes crinkling as she shrugged. "I couldn't help but come."

Fenris did not speak up again for a long moment after that, only stared back with that intense, unwavering gaze of his.

It was a surprise, then, when he suddenly climbed out of his bed without any warning and crossed his way over to her bedroll.

Startled, she was only barely able to shift onto her knees when he was already there, crouching beside her on one knee and his palm pressed firmly against the floor right next to her.

"You've said this before," he breathed out and Kagome went still as she felt the warmth of it wash over her face, her own breath hitching. She couldn't tear her mind away from his sudden proximity, couldn't tear it away from the fact that his arm was just barely brushing against her own or that it was bare and giving off a delicious heat.

Mostly, really, she couldn't take her mind off the fact that Fenris was all but pressed against her and also shirtless, and so the only thing she found herself able to say was an unintelligent, "What?"

"You came for me."

The statement sounded more like a declaration now in the quiet of the room, and the raw _emotion _in those four words rendered Kagome speechless this time around.

"Kagome," Fenris rasped, "What does that… How _else _am I supposed to take that than…?" He shook his head suddenly, frustrated or desperate, she could not tell – and neither could Fenris, truthfully – and when he looked back up at her, his eyes were blazing and wild as they locked with her own and Kagome–

Kagome leaned forward, and paused, and found herself _hoping_.

Fenris took in her furrowed eyebrows, her widened eyes with their blown out pupils, the teeth pressed firmly into the tender flesh of her bottom lip, and felt his stare linger, felt a pull in the base of his belly in her direction before he managed to drag his gaze back up to meet hers once again.

_"Fenris…"_

He found his answer in the way his name fell from her lips, breathless and wanting.

Fenris gave a short growl, a curse in his native tongue, _damn it all_, and closed what little distance remained between them.

Kagome melted – into his touch, into his arms, against his mouth. Her blood felt like liquid fire in her veins. His touch, his lips – the match that set it to flame.

Though it may had only been seconds, it felt like eternity had passed before he finally, slowly, pulled away, both of them gasping heavily. She tried chasing him back, wanting more, _needing_ more, but he hovered just out of her reach, his voice deep and throaty as he murmured, lips still so close that they brushed faintly against her own.

"So much was happening at once," Fenris whispered, "I feel…" He trailed off, swallowing thickly, suddenly overcome, "That I did not give you the greeting you deserved, not after all this time had passed, not with how we parted. I want…"

But the words would not, could not, come. And part of him was grateful for it, too. It was – too soon, he thought. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel this was a long time coming. He wanted – so much, so very much, but he did not want to ruin it when he had only just gotten her back. Not with his mind still a mess as it was, too much so to make sense of what he felt, and there was still much that needed to be sorted.

All he knew was that he _wanted_…

_You, so much. Your heart, your lips, your everything, stay, please stay, never go again_.

And that frightened him as much as it thrilled him, which only served to frighten him even more.

_Coward_, his mind accused, and he found himself agreeing without a shred of protest.

"Yes…?"

Fenris looked back up, felt his breath become stolen once again as he caught Kagome's expression. A glazed look had clouded her eyes, her lips were parted and swollen, and in the shadows cast from the fire behind her, he could spy the barest glimpse of the flush in the cheeks that he still cradled between his palms.

_He had done that._

_Him._

He felt the pull again, the desire, to give in one more time.

And so he leaned forward, pressed his forehead against hers, watched as her eyes fluttered shut and allowed his own to do the same. A wave of content, of _peace_, settled firmly within his chest.

"Hello again, Kagome."

And Fenris smiled as a breathless laugh danced in the quiet of his room.

* * *

_Sooo. This story is p much done, just the epilogue remaining I believe! I've thought about continuing it, but the plot is p. much resolved – Kagome and Fenris are together once again!_

_But, but, but! _

_There definitely and most certainly will be a sequel! It'll follow along the rest of events of Act 2 of the game, and possibly Act 3 (which is also why I want to stop this fic here), but mostly focus on Kagome and Fenris face the reality of entering a romantic relationship with one another and making it work, all the while surviving the oncoming shitstorm(s) that go down in Kirkwall and other complications that come between them._

_ (I'm still working on the summary.) _

_Since the last chapter, a bunch of stuff has been added to the fic's tag on tumblr! Most notably, daoxlor (previously beautiful-phantom on tumblr, but still under the same name here) and kagomes-lover both created some amazing fenkag art! Both heavily featuring some hugging~ lmao. And I also used what I wrote in response to daoxlor's art in this chapter as well!_

_Find them in my directory page, or just go through the ttlg tag. Any questions, feel free to ask!_

_Until next time, guys!_


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